By Sean Whitehead
Copyright iafrica
Google has pledged $37 million to support artificial intelligence development in Africa, targeting agriculture, education, languages, and research.
The largest share, $25 million, will fund the AI Collaborative Food Security Initiative, aimed at helping African farmers develop tools for hunger forecasting, climate resilience, and improved crop yields.
Another $7 million will go toward AI education in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa, including 100,000 Google Career Certificate scholarships. The program seeks to build a workforce capable of leading AI innovation rather than just consuming it.
A $3 million grant will support the Masakhane African Languages AI Hub, which is developing multilingual AI tools for more than 40 languages, ensuring Africa’s linguistic diversity is represented in global systems.
Research grants of $1 million each will go to the University of Pretoria’s AfriDSAI and the Wits MIND Institute, funding graduate students and projects that integrate African perspectives into global AI research.
Google said the initiatives reflect Africa’s transition from technology consumer to creator, positioning the continent as a leader in the next wave of global AI development.
