The Data Sciences & Artificial Intelligence Research Institute (DS-AIRI) is a research institute of the Durban University of Technology focused on building the data, methods, governance and interdisciplinary partnerships required for AI to work credibly in African environments. Durban and KwaZulu-Natal provide a distinctive research setting: multilingual communities; unequal digital access; complex metropolitan, township and rural systems; a major port and logistics economy; climate and infrastructure risks; high health-service demand; and public institutions that require better evidence without weakening rights or accountability.

DS-AIRI therefore concentrates its first five-year on three linked research themes:

• African Data, Language and Knowledge Intelligence;
• Trustworthy, Responsible and Human-Centered AI; and
• AI for Sustainable Systems and Public Value.

The Institute develops new datasets, algorithms, evaluation methods, responsible-AI frameworks and transferable models. It works horizontally across DUT in alignment with her ENVISION2030, with faculties and domain institutes defining sector problems and disciplinary accountability, while the institute contributes data, algorithms, assurance and generalizable methods.