Google has pledged R670 million ($37 million) in funding to accelerate artificial intelligence development across Africa, alongside the opening of a new AI Community Centre in Accra, Ghana.
The financial commitment spans a range of areas including research, infrastructure, digital skills training, and startup support. It will target key sectors such as food security, local language technology, and the ethical development of AI. While some of the funding was previously allocated, this marks the first time it has been publicly detailed.
A significant portion of the funding, R450 million ($25 million), is being channelled into the newly established AI Collaborative for Food Security. This multi-partner initiative is focused on developing AI-driven tools to improve hunger forecasting, enhance crop resilience, and provide support to smallholder farmers across the continent.
In South Africa, two academic institutions are set to benefit from R18 million ($1 million) each. The University of Pretoria’s African Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence will use the funds to expand applied AI research and student training. Meanwhile, Wits University’s Machine Intelligence and Neural Discovery Institute plans to fund postgraduate students working on foundational AI research.
Google has also allocated R54 million ($3 million) to the Masakhane Research Foundation to support the creation of AI tools in more than 40 African languages. Further investment will go towards educational initiatives in Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa, and a new programme designed to help over 100 AI-focused startups grow.
The new Community Centre in Accra will serve as a hub for AI education, creative exploration, and collaboration. Google says the initiative builds on its commitment to developing AI that is informed by local context and contributes to global progress.
