Tech giant, Google, has announced a $5.8 million commitment to accelerate AI skilling initiatives across Sub-Saharan Africa.
According to the company, this investment will support organizations working to empower people across the continent with the skills they need to thrive in an AI-powered world.
Google said it aims to foster a deeper understanding of AI across society, ensuring everyone can participate in and benefit from this technological revolution.
Programmes to be supported
The tech giant further disclosed that the $5.8 million investment would be deployed to support programs that empower workers with essential AI skills. It said such programs must be providing people across various industries with the knowledge to effectively utilise AI tools and technologies.
Other programs to be supported include any program that:
Educate teens about AI safety and ethics: Empowering young people to become responsible and informed users of AI, understanding its potential impact on society.
Equip non-profit leaders with foundational AI skills: Helping non-profit organisations leverage AI to amplify their impact and address social challenges more effectively.
Support the public sector with AI skilling: Enabling governments to develop and implement AI-powered solutions for public services and policymaking.
Investing in research and development
Emphasising the potential of Africa’s AI ecosystem, Google said it is committed to supporting this innovation through ongoing investments in research and development, infrastructure, and partnerships.
“Our Google Research Africa centres in Accra, Ghana, and Nairobi, Kenya, are hubs for extensive AI research, focused on developing innovative solutions for African challenges and contributing to global advancements in AI.
“The team is working on focused projects like Open Buildings, which uses AI to identify and map buildings across Africa, providing crucial data for urban planning, disaster relief, and understanding socio-economic development.
We’re also thrilled about the work being done at our newly opened Product Development Center in Nairobi, Kenya.
This centre is dedicated to building products and features specifically for the African market, including advancements in voice search and typing for African languages, and innovative products like the HTML5 gaming platform which has already reached 1 million daily active users and is designed to work seamlessly on low-bandwidth devices,” the company said in a blog post on Monday.
Collaborating to build an AI-powered future
Google said it also recognised that it could not achieve its vision for Africa’s AI future alone, hence, it was committed to partnering with governments, non-profits, educational institutions, and the private sector to create an inclusive and thriving AI ecosystem.
In Nigeria, the company said it is supporting the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy (FMCIDE) to advance AI talent development by equipping Nigerians with essential AI skills.
This includes contributing to the government’s 3 million technical talents (3MTT) program, investing in educational programs that introduce AI to teenagers, and backing an equity-free accelerator fund to empower Nigerian AI startups.
Google said it is also going to be equipping policymakers with the knowledge and skills to navigate AI and develop responsible AI policies.
What you should know
In 2021, Google announced a commitment of $1 billion to accelerate Africa’s digital economy, focusing on improving internet access, supporting local entrepreneurs, and fostering innovation.
As part of that investment, in 2022, Google’s Equiano fibre-optic cable landed in Nigeria, connecting western Africa to Europe.
With around 20 times more network capacity than the last cable built to serve the region, Equiano is projected to bring an internet penetration increase of 7% in Nigeria by 2025, making internet access faster, more reliable, and more affordable.
The investment is also powering several Google-funded skills programs tailored to young people and entrepreneurs in Nigeria.
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