Google has announced a major $37 million investment to advance artificial intelligence (AI) innovation, research, and infrastructure across Africa.
The funding, which includes previously unannounced contributions, will support AI-driven solutions in key areas such as food security, education, health, language inclusion, and economic empowerment.
Africa is emerging as a global leader in AI innovation, fueled by a young, tech-savvy population and a culture of creative problem-solving. With research hubs in Kenya and Ghana, Google is strengthening its commitment to ensuring African voices and talent play a central role in shaping the future of AI.
At the heart of this initiative is the newly launched AI Community Center in Accra, Ghana. Designed as a collaborative hub, the center will host workshops, research exchanges, and events for students, developers, artists, entrepreneurs, and civil society groups. It aims to serve as a space for interdisciplinary learning and experimentation, tailored to Africa’s unique development challenges.
The center’s opening was officiated by Ghana’s Minister for Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovations, Hon. Sam Nartey George.
Supporting Food Security and Language Inclusion
A major component of the new funding includes a $25 million grant from Google.org to the AI for Food Security Collaborative. This initiative supports African researchers and nonprofit organizations working on AI solutions to improve hunger forecasting, strengthen crop resilience, and deliver real-time insights to smallholder farmers.
Google is also advancing AI for language inclusion through a $3 million grant to the Masakhane African Languages AI Hub. The support will expand research and open-source tools for over 40 African languages—developing datasets, translation models, and voice technologies to ensure broader digital access for African communities.
Boosting Academic Research
To grow Africa’s AI talent pipeline, Google is awarding $1 million in research grants to two leading institutions: the African Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (AfriDSAI) at the University of Pretoria, and the Wits MIND Institute in South Africa. These funds will support graduate and postdoctoral researchers and strengthen local academic contributions to global AI research.
Building AI Skills for the Future
Through its Grow with Google initiative, the company has already trained over 6.5 million Africans in digital skills. With a new $7 million contribution, Google.org is expanding this work to support AI training, cybersecurity, and online safety education in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa, in partnership with nonprofits and universities.
In Ghana, Google will offer 100,000 fully funded Google Career Certificate scholarships to university students. These self-paced programs cover key subjects including AI Essentials, Prompting, IT Support, Data Analytics, and Cybersecurity, helping young Africans gain job-ready skills for the digital economy.
To accelerate innovation, Google is also launching a catalytic fund for over 100 African startups building AI-driven solutions. The initiative will combine philanthropy, venture capital, and technical mentorship to help founders scale their technologies in sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, and education.
From research labs to classrooms and startups, Africa’s AI momentum is undeniable. Google’s latest investment builds on its belief that with the right tools, training, and support, African communities can develop transformative technologies for the continent and the world.
As AI continues to reshape industries, Google reaffirms its long-term commitment to working with Africa’s developers, educators, and entrepreneurs to co-create an inclusive and impactful AI future.
