Google Pumps $37M Into Africa’s Infrastructure To Ensure Its Researchers And Students Have A Stake In AI’s Development
Google is making a major investment in Africa’s AI future.
According to a blog post, Google.org announced a $37 million investment to support research and advance AI initiatives, recognizing the continent’s role as a key player in climate resilience, agriculture, healthcare, education, and more sectors.
Efforts will include a $25 million commitment to support African researchers and nonprofits leveraging AI tools to “improve hunger forecasting, strengthen crop resilience, and support smallholder farmers with real-time, actionable insights,” based on the post.
Breakdown Of Commitment
Additionally, the blog post states $3 million will be allocated to the Masakhane African Languages AI Hub to enhance the representation of over 40 African languages by funding new research opportunities and supporting open-source tools. An amount of $1 million will also be awarded to both the African Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (AfriDSAI) at the University of Pretoria and the Wits MIND Institute to provide grants to graduate students and postdoctoral researchers to ensure they have a role in AI development.
Lastly, a $7 million commitment will support programs focused on AI training, cybersecurity, and online safety across Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa, per Google’s Africa Blog. The investment will also spark career interest among students in Ghana, who will gain access to 100,000 Google Career Certificate scholarships in AI Essentials, Prompting Essentials, IT Support, Data Analytics, and Cybersecurity.
“Africa’s AI future is already taking shape — in classrooms, research labs, creative studios, and small businesses across the continent. Today’s announcements build on our belief that when communities have the tools and resources they need, they create technologies that can transform the world,” Google said via the blog post. “We’re excited to continue supporting Africa’s AI journey and to work alongside the researchers, developers, educators, and entrepreneurs who are building what comes next.”
