Google has announced $37 million in cumulative funding and the launch of an AI Community Center in Accra as part of a broad commitment to advance artificial intelligence across the continent.
The tech firm’s investment, some of which includes previously unannounced commitments that target AI research, infrastructure, and talent development, with a goal to equip African communities, institutions, and entrepreneurs with the tools and training needed to lead in an AI-powered world.
James Manyika, Google’s SVP for Research, Labs, and Technology & Society, underscored the importance of the continent’s role in global innovation.
“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.”
The AI Collaborative for Food Security, an initiative backed by $25 million from Google.org. will unite researchers and nonprofits to co-create AI-driven solutions that enhance food systems, from hunger forecasting to climate-resilient crop planning.
The initiative is designed to improve outcomes for smallholder farmers and create agricultural systems that are both equitable and climate-resilient.
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Language accessibility is also getting a major boost as Masakhane Research Foundation, a pan-African open research collective working across 40+ African languages, will receive $3 million in funding.
The support will fuel the development of machine translation models, high-quality datasets, and speech technologies aimed at making digital content available to millions in their native tongues.
To scale innovation from the ground up, Google is also launching a catalytic funding platform for AI-focused startups. Blending philanthropic capital with venture investment and technical mentorship, the initiative aims to accelerate over 100 early-stage ventures across sectors like agriculture, education, and healthcare.
Startups will gain access to funding, AI tools, and expert guidance, which will drive responsible innovation across high-impact industries.
At the heart of the announcement is the launch of the AI Community Center in Accra, the first of its kind on the continent, which is designed as a space for collaboration, experimentation, and learning.
The center will serve as a beacon for AI literacy and local innovation, and its programming will span four pillars, which are AI literacy, community technology, social impact, and arts and culture, welcoming developers, students, and creatives alike to engage with AI in ways that reflect Africa’s unique cultural and developmental context.
To equip more Africans with future-ready skills, Google will offer 100,000 Career Certificate scholarships to university students in Ghana. The self-paced programs will cover topics such as AI Essentials, Prompting Essentials, Data Analytics, Cybersecurity, and IT Support, which provide a pathway to jobs in high-growth tech fields.
Google.org is also committing $7 million to support AI education across Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, and Ghana. These funds will aid academic institutions and nonprofits in building localised AI curricula and delivering online safety and cybersecurity programs.
Google.org is also issuing two $1 million research grants to deepen AI capabilities across the continent. One grant will go to the African Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (AfriDSAI) at the University of Pretoria, while the other supports the Wits Machine Intelligence and Neural Discovery (MIND) Institute in South Africa. Both institutions will fund postgraduate research, strengthening Africa’s contribution to global AI research.
“This new wave of support reflects our belief in the talent, creativity, and ingenuity across the continent. By building with local communities and institutions, we’re supporting solutions that are rooted in Africa’s realities and built for global impact,” Yossi Matias, VP of Engineering and Research, said.
