Tech giant Google has unveiled a sweeping $37 million investment plan aimed at accelerating the development and responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) across Africa.
The funding, which includes previously unannounced commitments, will be channelled into AI research, infrastructure, talent development, and real-world applications to tackle some of the continent’s biggest challenges.
According to a statement released by the company on Thursday, a major highlight of the announcement is the AI Collaborative for Food Security, a $25 million initiative by Google.org that will bring together researchers and non-profit partners to develop AI tools focused on early hunger detection, crop resilience, and advisory support for smallholder farmers.
The goal is to create adaptive and resilient food systems capable of withstanding the continent’s mounting climate and economic pressures.
AI for African languages
In a push for greater digital inclusion, Google also awarded $3 million to the Masakhane Research Foundation, a pan-African collective working on AI for over 40 local languages.
- Google said the funding will support the creation of high-quality datasets, machine translation, and voice tools, helping millions of Africans access the internet in their native tongues.
- Recognizing Africa’s growing startup ecosystem, Google is also launching a catalytic funding initiative to support over 100 early-stage AI-driven startups in sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, and education.
- The platform will blend philanthropic funding, venture capital, and technical support, including mentorship and responsible AI guidance, to help scale innovations tackling local problems.
Infrastructure for AI talent
A cornerstone of Google’s announcement is the launch of Africa’s first AI Community Center, located in Accra, Ghana.
The facility will serve as a hub for learning, research, and collaboration, with programs focused on AI literacy, community-driven technology, social impact, and the intersection of AI with arts and culture.
- It aims to provide a space where developers, students, and creators can engage with AI in ways rooted in African priorities.
- In addition, to meet the growing demand for AI and tech skills, Google is rolling out 100,000 Google Career Certificate scholarships in Ghana. These self-paced programs will equip learners with job-ready training in AI, data analytics, cybersecurity, and more.
- Also, Google.org is committing another $7 million to support AI education across Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, and Ghana.
- The funding will go toward localized AI curricula, digital safety programs, and support for academic institutions and nonprofit organizations.
Google is also backing academic research with two $1 million grants. One goes to the African Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (AfriDSAI) at the University of Pretoria to support applied AI research and training.
The second supports the Wits Machine Intelligence and Neural Discovery (MIND) Institute in South Africa to fund postgraduate students conducting foundational AI research.
Commitment to African innovation
Speaking on the investments, Google’s SVP for Research, Labs, and Technology & Society, James Manyika, said:
“Africa is home to some of the most important and inspiring work in AI today. We are committed to supporting the next wave of innovation through long-term investment, local partnerships, and platforms that help researchers and entrepreneurs build solutions that matter.”
Google’s VP of Engineering and Research, Yossi Matias, added:
“By building with local communities and institutions, we’re supporting solutions that are rooted in Africa’s realities and built for global impact.”
This latest investment builds on Google’s past efforts in Africa, including AI-powered maternal health dashboards in Nigeria and Ghana, wildfire alert systems in East Africa, and regional language models developed by teams in Accra and Nairobi.
