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International Conference on Learning Representations, Kigali 2023

Highlighting the application of ‘real-world’ machine learning at ICLR 2023

Machine Learning Manager, Stanslaus Mwongela, shares his experiences of this year's ICLR.
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IMG_2044 (2)

Attending ICLR was a pivotal moment for the tech team at Jacaranda Health. This renowned conference, a hub for machine learning and AI experts, was the perfect stage to present our journey with AI.

Our presentation focused on data-efficient learning for maternal healthcare queries in resource-constrained settings, and the practical impact and real-world deployment of machine learning in this space. The event offered an unparalleled opportunity for networking and knowledge exchange, allowing us to engage in meaningful discussions about the latest trends and challenges in AI and machine learning.

The connections we forged at ICLR were invaluable. Engagements with global institutions opened doors for potential collaborations in areas of healthcare machine learning research. Each interaction brought a new perspective and opportunity for collaboration, broadening the scope and impact of our work.

The questions and discussions we countered at the conference, ranging from real world deployment of Machine Learning solutions to approaches in representation learning and challenges in creating AI models for underrepresented languages and domains, which underscored the relevance and impact of our work. These interactions deepened our understanding of the broader AI-driven healthcare landscape and reinforced the importance of our contributions to this field.

ICLR 2023 was enriching and insightful. It not only allowed us to showcase our work in applying AI to maternal healthcare, but also provided a platform for forging valuable connections and gaining a deeper understanding of the evolving AI landscape in our settings and beyond.

Stanslaus Mwongela

Machine Learning Manager, Jacaranda Health

Stanslaus Mwongela is instrumental in the development, deployment and integration of AI solutions across Jacaranda’s suite of digital tools. In October 2023, he spearheaded the creation of UlizaLlama, a world-first open source Swahili Large Language Model aimed at empowering African organizations to customize and enhance their natural language processing capabilities in Swahili. Stanslaus actively participates in the academic community and global communities of practice for digital health and technologies, and is currently pursuing a doctorate in computer science which aligns with his work at Jacaranda Health. Stanslaus views his role as a unique opportunity to bridge the gap between research and real-world impact, pushing the boundaries of AI innovation while improving healthcare outcomes for underprivileged mothers.

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