Google supports 37 million USD to promote artificial intelligence development in Africa

Google says Africa is home to many pioneering and inspiring AI research and applications. (Source: Google)

Speaking at the launch of the AI ​​application training center in Accra (Ghana), Google Senior Vice President James Manyika affirmed that Africa is currently home to many pioneering and inspiring AI research and application activities.

The center will be a place to train, collaborate and test programs to improve AI literacy for local communities.

One of the most notable initiatives announced is the AI ​​for Food Security Partnership, which aims to connect researchers and nonprofits to develop tools to help detect hunger early, increase crop resilience, and improve farmers’ decision-making capabilities.

The initiative aims to help African food systems become more resilient to shocks from climate change and economic crises.

AI has been applied in agriculture in several countries in the region, including Nigeria, where the technology is growing rapidly. There, many agritech companies have emerged to help monitor soil conditions and control temperature and humidity in poultry farms.

Google also announced plans to launch a financing platform to support startups applying AI in the fields of agriculture, health and education . Through the Google.org Charitable Foundation, the corporation pledged to contribute $ 7 million to expand AI training programs in Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa and Ghana.

In addition, Google also announced a $3 million grant to Masakhane, a technology group that develops AI tools in the field of language. Previously, Google has deployed AI initiatives in Africa to take care of maternal health in Ghana and Nigeria, warn of forest fires in East Africa, and develop language models in Accra and Nairobi.