In a bold step to position Africa at the forefront of artificial intelligence (AI) innovation, Google has committed $37 million to advance research, education, and application of AI across the continent. The announcement, made by top Google executives, underscores the tech giant’s intent to foster inclusive technological progress tailored to Africa’s unique challenges and opportunities.
The multi-faceted initiative spans academic support, language accessibility, digital education, food security, and startup development — all aimed at empowering African innovators to shape the global AI agenda.
At the academic front, Google.org awarded $1 million each to two premier research institutions: the African Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (AfriDSAI) at the University of Pretoria, and the Wits Machine Intelligence and Neural Discovery (MIND) Institute. The funding will support postgraduate fellowships and foundational AI research driven by African scholars.
“This isn’t just about importing technology,” said James Manyika, Google’s SVP for Research, Labs, and Technology and Society. “It’s about investing in African thinkers, creators, and problem-solvers.”
To promote AI literacy, Google is investing $7 million in digital education programs in Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, and South Africa, while allocating $3 million to the Masakhane Research Foundation to improve access to digital tools in African languages.
A significant $25 million has been earmarked for the “AI Collaborative for Food Security,” focusing on AI-powered solutions to hunger, crop resilience, and agricultural data access for smallholder farmers.
Google is also launching a funding program for over 100 AI-driven startups and rolling out 100,000 Google Career Certificate scholarships in Ghana to equip youth with industry-ready skills in AI, cybersecurity, and data analytics.
To cap it off, the company is opening an AI Community Centre in Accra, serving as a regional hub for training, research, and community-led innovation.
“As global conversations around AI evolve, Africa’s voice, perspectives, and priorities must be part of the dialogue,” Manyika emphasised. “We are not just supporting Africa’s participation — we are investing in its leadership.”
Article by Jed Mwangi
Photo/Google
Comment