Africa-Press – Eswatini. Across Africa, communities are reimagining how artificial intelligence can address the most pressing challenges. From climate resilience and agriculture to healthcare, education, and local language access, the continent is already home to some of the most innovative work shaping the future of research and AI.
With a young, rapidly growing population and a culture of creative problem-solving, Africa brings essential perspectives to a technology that is quickly transforming the world. As AI continues to evolve, it is crucial that African researchers, developers, and organizations are empowered to lead. The company, with its Google Research teams in Kenya and Ghana, is committed to ensuring that Africa plays a central role in this global shift.
This moment, driven by the continent’s growing momentum in AI, is pivotal. To support Africa’s AI future, the company is deepening its investments in the region. In Accra, a wave of AI support was announced, including $37 million in cumulative contributions. This funding will be directed toward research, talent development, and infrastructure, with some of it being previously committed but unannounced.
At the core of the company’s new initiatives is the AI Community Center in Accra. This center will act as a hub for learning, experimentation, and interdisciplinary collaboration. It will host technical workshops, research exchanges, and community events that bring together students, developers, entrepreneurs, artists, and civil society members to explore how AI can address the specific needs of Africa.
Effective research begins with the communities it aims to serve. The company’s latest efforts, including a $25 million contribution from Google.org toward the AI Collaborative: Food Security, further this goal. This initiative supports African researchers and nonprofits that are developing AI tools to improve hunger forecasting, boost crop resilience, and provide smallholder farmers with real-time, actionable insights.
Language inclusion is also a fundamental aspect of responsible AI development. Google.org is supporting the Masakhane African Languages AI Hub with $3 million to expand research and open-source tools for more than 40 African languages. This effort, which includes the creation of datasets, translation models, and voice technologies, ensures that African languages are represented in the digital world.
To strengthen the research ecosystem even further, the company is awarding $1 million in research funding to two leading academic institutions advancing AI in Africa: the African Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (AfriDSAI) at the University of Pretoria and the Wits MIND Institute. These grants will support graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, expanding local capacity to contribute to and shape global AI development.
The grand opening of the AI Community Center in Accra was attended by Ghana’s Minister for Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovations, Honourable Sam Nartey George.
Building Skills for the AI Economy
AI holds the potential to transform economies, but only if more people possess the skills to harness and develop it. Through Grow with Google, the company has already trained over 6.5 million people across the continent in digital skills. This work is now expanding with a $7 million contribution from Google.org to support AI education and safety programs in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa. Delivered in partnership with academic and nonprofit organizations, these programs will focus on AI training and skilling, cybersecurity, and online safety.
In Ghana, the company is offering 100,000 fully funded, self-paced Google Career Certificate scholarships for students in higher education institutions. These programs cover essential topics such as AI Essentials, Prompting Essentials, IT Support, Data Analytics, and Cybersecurity — helping learners acquire in-demand skills and unlock new career opportunities.
Africa’s startup ecosystem is dynamic and expanding, with entrepreneurs leveraging AI to address challenges in health, agriculture, education, and more. The company is launching a catalytic fund initiative to help over 100 AI-driven startups scale their solutions. This initiative combines philanthropic funding, venture capital, and technical support to help founders bring AI applications that are locally relevant to life.
Africa’s AI future is already unfolding — in classrooms, research labs, creative studios, and small businesses across the continent. The recent announcements build on the company’s belief that when communities are equipped with the tools and resources they need, they can create technologies that transform the world.
The company is eager to continue supporting Africa’s AI journey, working alongside researchers, developers, educators, and entrepreneurs who are shaping what comes next.
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