Saw a sign in Yaba today that said 'AI Solutions for Small Businesses'

Went to get my laptop fixed in Yaba this morning. Saw a brand new sign outside a shop: 'AI Solutions for Small Businesses.' I laughed out loud. Bros, the power in that area has been unstable since 2019. The road is still unpaved. But yes, let me bring AI to my pepper soup joint.

I walked in just to ask what they do. The guy couldn't explain what machine learning is without reading from his phone. Charging 150k for a 'business chatbot' that is just a copy-paste of ChatGPT with a different logo. The thing is, I actually believe AI can help Nigerian businesses. But not like this. Not when we can't keep the lights on for 12 hours straight.

This is the same energy as the startup I worked for in 2021. Raised 500k dollars, built a 'blockchain solution for agriculture,' spent 80% on office rent and staff salaries in Ikoyi. Zero farmers ever used the app. We are very good at selling the future while ignoring the present.