In a bold move to drive digital transformation across Sub-Saharan Africa, Google has announced a $5.8 million investment to enhance artificial intelligence (AI) education and skills training throughout the region. This initiative aims to prepare a new generation of young Africans for an AI-driven future, focusing on equipping them to tackle challenges in healthcare, climate resilience, and education.
The funding was revealed by Matt Brittin, Google’s President of Business & Operations for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Brittin highlighted Google’s recent *Digital Opportunity for Africa* report, which forecasts that AI could add as much as $30 billion to Sub-Saharan Africa’s GDP by 2030. However, realizing this potential depends on creating a workforce skilled in AI and digital technologies. “Investing in skills training,” Brittin noted, “will be critical to developing a workforce capable of using AI responsibly and effectively.”
A central focus of Google’s initiative is addressing youth unemployment, a pressing issue in Africa where unemployment among young people was reported at around 8.9% in 2023 by the International Labour Organization. By offering targeted AI training, Google aims to open doors for young Africans to secure employment in rapidly evolving tech sectors, fostering job creation and improving productivity across key industries.
The training program includes a range of initiatives: teaching AI ethics and safety to teenagers, supporting non-profit organizations in scaling social programs with AI, and helping public sector employees integrate AI into policy-making and service delivery.
This investment also builds on Google’s commitment to local innovation, which already includes AI research and development centres in Accra, Ghana, and Nairobi, Kenya. The Nairobi Product Development Center, for example, has created AI-driven solutions such as African-language voice search and low-bandwidth gaming platforms, illustrating the impact of home-grown AI applications.
Google’s initiative represents a growing trend of global tech investment in Africa, with a strong emphasis on sustainable and community-empowering solutions. Through this digital workforce expansion, the company envisions Africa emerging as a leader in AI, contributing to both economic growth and social transformation on the continent.
Article by RB Reporter
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