Google to give Ksh.749M funding for AI training in Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa

Google is providing $5.8 million (Ksh.749 million) backing through its charity arm Google.org for foundational artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity training this year across Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa, the American tech giant announced on Monday.

Google's President of Europe, the Middle East and Africa Matt Brittin said the funding will support organisations providing foundational AI skills to workers, educating teenagers about AI and its safe and ethical use, equipping non-profit leaders with AI knowledge, and supporting the public sector to develop and utilise AI solutions.

Among the funding recipients is the Raspberry Pi Foundation, which will provide $300,000 (Ksh.38.8 million) to the Young Scientists Kenya and Data Scientists Network Foundation to roll out AI literacy education for Kenyan and Nigerian youth.

Young Scientists Kenya organises a National Science and Technology competition aimed at giving young people from across the country an opportunity to demonstrate innovation.

Nigeria’s Data Scientists Network Foundation will also get a $1.5 million (Ksh.194 million) grant, while the Nelson Mandela University in South Africa and other universities will participate in the Cybersecurity Seminars program which includes $500,000 (Ksh.64.6 million) in grant support.

“AI could contribute $30 billion to the economy of sub-Saharan Africa. But for this to be a meaningful change, everyone needs to be included. The $5.8 million announced today will help bring people, businesses and non-profits along to take part in harnessing technology for good,” Brittin told journalists in Nairobi.

The latest funding builds on the $20 million of Google.org support for organisations helping Africans develop digital skills. Among them is Jacaranda Health, a Kenyan non-profit using Natural Language Processing (NLP) trained in African languages to expand digital health services.

Google.org has given it a $1.4 million grant and fellowship to advance PROMPTS - their AI-enabled support tool which provides personalized SMS advice to new and expecting mothers across Kenya.

The tech giant has also backed AirQo Africa, a project using AI to measure and tackle air pollution on the continent which recently put up two air monitoring sites in Nairobi.