Uganda’s Young AI Innovators Showcase Homegrown Solutions in Geneva

Uganda’s young innovators showcased their creativity and growing skills in artificial intelligence and robotics on the global stage in Geneva, Switzerland, where seven outstanding primary and secondary school learners represented the country at the AI for Good Global Summit. Supported by UNDP Uganda, the learners represented a new generation of Ugandan problem-solvers using technology to develop practical solutions to real-world challenges. Their participation demonstrated the growing interest in AI and emerging technologies among young people and Uganda’s potential to nurture future innovators from an early age. During the summit, the learners met the Minister of State for National Guidance, Hon. Alioni Yorke Odria, and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, Dr. Aminah Zawedde, who interacted with them and viewed their robotics and technology prototypes. The engagement was also attended by the Executive Director of the Uganda Communications Commission, the National AI Task Force and representatives from other institutions supporting Uganda's Digital Transformation Agenda. Among the innovations showcased was a project by Senior Four students from King’s College Budo that generates electricity from kinetic energy created when pressure is applied to specially designed tiles. During the demonstration, the system produced enough energy to power a laptop, showing its potential for further development and practical use. Dr. Zawedde encouraged the students to continue improving the innovation and offered technical guidance on how they could strengthen and scale the pilot. Hon. Odria also expressed his commitment to supporting the young innovators as they develop their ideas further. “This is a wonderful exhibition. You get to learn and study more about AI,” said Ellen Samantha, one of the young participants. The learners also demonstrated how AI and robotics can be applied to address everyday challenges, earning recognition for their creativity, technical ability and potential to contribute to Uganda’s digital future. The participation of the seven learners at the global summit is more than an international learning experience. It is an investment in a generation that will help shape how Uganda and Africa use AI, robotics and emerging technologies to solve local problems and create new opportunities. Their presence in Geneva sends a clear message: Uganda’s young people are not waiting for the future of technology to arrive. They are already building it. The learners’ participation was made possible with support from UNDP Uganda, Creative Child, KCB, Peak Primary School.