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African countries have penned a deal to mobilize at least Ksh 7.7 trillion ($60b) to facilitate artificial intelligence (AI) research and development within the continent.
During the Global AI Summit on Africa in Kigali, Rwanda, 54 African became signatories to Africa Declaration on Artificial Intelligence which will see the establishment of Africa AI Fund.
“The launch of the Africa Declaration of Artificial Intelligence marks a milestone in shaping Africa’s AI governance and innovation landscape. This Declaration is timely, as Africa’s AI ecosystem is rapidly evolving but remains fragmented and underfunded,” said Shikoh Gitau, CEO of Qhala.
African becomes the latest region to unveil funding to support AI research and development. In February this year, the European Commission unveiled plan to mobilize €200 billion investment for AI and additional €20 billion for AI gigafactories.
The declaration also targets to ensure African nations align national strategies with continental goals, safeguard data sovereignty, build digital infrastructure, and foster a sustainable AI innovation ecosystem.
Additionally, participating countries endorsed the creation of the Africa AI Council which will bring together stakeholders from both the public and private sectors and will be mandated to accelerate Africa’s digital future by driving AI governance and policy development.
“Africa’s digital transformation must be shaped by African priorities, talent, and leadership. The Africa AI Council is a bold and necessary platform to ensure AI serves the continent’s development goals. By scaling locally grounded solutions, we can reduce structural inequalities and accelerate progress in health, agriculture, and education,” added Dr. Paulin Basinga, Africa Director at the Gates Foundation.
Latest projections indicate that AI could contribute an estimated $2.9 trillion to the African economy by 2030.
