Google announces $37m in cumulative funding to advance AI in Africa
Google has outlined a wave of artificial intelligence (AI) support across Africa, representing $37 million in cumulative funding.
The announcement includes previously committed but unannounced funding to research, talent development, and infrastructure.
Funding
The funding package includes funding and partnerships that aim to strengthen AI research, support African languages, improve food systems, expand digital skills, and build research capacity.
Google also announced $3 million in funding to the Masakhane Research Foundation, the open research collective advancing AI tools in over 40 African languages
Google said Africa's AI talent is growing rapidly, but the infrastructure to support it must grow in tandem.
'That's why a cornerstone of this announcement is the launch of the AI community centre in Accra — a first-of-its-kind space for AI learning, experimentation, and collaboration in Africa. The centre will host training sessions, community events, and workshops focused on responsible AI development.'
ALSO READ: Two decades of Google Maps: How people mapped out their world
Four pillars
Google said the programming will span four pillars: AI literacy, community technology, social impact, and arts and culture — providing a platform for a diverse ecosystem of developers, students, and creators to engage with AI in ways that are grounded in African priorities.
To help meet the rising demand for AI and digital skills, Google is rolling out 100 000 Google Career Certificate scholarships for students in higher learning institutions across Ghana.
Beyond Ghana, Google.org is committing an additional $7 million to support AI education across Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, and Ghana.
It stated that the funding will support academic institutions and nonprofits in building localised AI curricula, online safety training, and cybersecurity programs.
Africa
Speaking about the announcements, James Manyika, senior vice president for Research, Labs, and Technology & Society at Google, said Africa is home to some of the most important and inspiring work in AI today.
'We are committed to supporting the next wave of innovation through long-term investment, local partnerships, and platforms that help researchers and entrepreneurs build solutions that matter.'
Yossi Matias, vice president of Engineering and Research at Google, added that this new wave of support reflects the company's belief in the talent, creativity, and ingenuity across the continent.
'By building with local communities and institutions, we're supporting solutions that are rooted in Africa's realities and built for global impact.'
Initiatives
These new initiatives build on Google's ongoing work across the continent.
Past efforts have included partnerships to support AI-powered maternal health dashboards in Ghana and Nigeria, as well as wildfire alerts in East Africa, and regional language models developed by teams in Accra and Nairobi.
ALSO READ: Google Open Buildings helping strengthen community resilience
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