Around the world, technology that once seemed like the stuff of science fiction is becoming a part of everyday life. More recently, AI has enabled researchers to decipher the genetic causes of diseases such as sickle cell with surprising accuracy. Here in Africa, our team applies the same spirit of innovation to everyday challenges, from providing more accurate weather forecasts to helping organizations like Jacaranda Health improve maternal and child care for new mothers.
As world leaders gather for the African Union (AU) summit in Addis Ababa this week, the conversation is changing. It is no longer just about digital access, but about digital agency, the ability of Africa to harness the power of AI to guide, create and solve its own challenges. Turning this vision into reality is a journey that requires intentional action, and we’re proud to be a part of it for over a decade.
See how we’re helping Africa build an AI-powered future.
Developing individual potential through education
Skilled people are the foundation of any digital journey. We believe that AI has the potential to be a transformative partner for all students and teachers, turning passive learning into active, personalized learning. As part of our collaboration with the African Union, we will further strengthen our support for the AU Digital Education Strategy. We do this by providing governments with handbooks on how to improve the skills of young people, and by offering free versions of Gemini and NotebookLM with enterprise-grade data protection and access through Google Workspace for Education.
Whether it’s students at Addis Ababa University using Gemini as a virtual tutor or researchers at the University of Ghana using NotebookLM to accelerate literature reviews, these are the moments when opportunity turns into impact. The initiative will launch in seven countries with the aim of ensuring the next generation has the AI skills and tools they need to succeed.
Build a smarter, more responsive organization
Our collective mission must also be to help public sector organizations transform the way they serve the public. Research shows that widespread adoption of AI could reduce government budget deficits by up to 22%. But this is not just a matter of efficiency. It’s about building responsive services that meet community needs and support informed, real-time decision-making. To make this a reality, we are working with the African Union Commission and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa to support the AI training of 50,000 civil servants in Ethiopia in collaboration with Apolitical, with the aim of scaling this AI literacy program across the African continent.
Solving social issues together
Perhaps the most exciting application of AI is its ability to address challenges that affect us all. This is especially true for this year’s AU theme: ‘Ensuring sustainable water availability’. Expanding AI-powered flood predictions to keep people safe across Africa. In Nigeria, NGO GiveDirectly used our forecasts to provide humanitarian aid before the waters rose. This early action allowed families to evacuate, build rafts to protect their assets, and stockpile supplies. We are currently expanding our collaboration with the AU Commission to integrate AI climate predictions into regional crisis response strategies.
Co-creating Africa’s digital backbone
For decades, infrastructure meant concrete and cables. Today, we’re also talking about Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), an interoperable “digital highway” for identity, payments, and data exchange. To accelerate this transition, Google and the World Bank Group have formed a strategic partnership to help African countries deploy sovereign, AI-powered open networks in months, not years.
By combining the World Bank’s expertise and Google’s technological scale, we are helping countries move from expensive, fragmented software to open source protocols that allow countries to seamlessly connect government services while maintaining their digital sovereignty. This means small farmers with basic mobile phones can sell their crops simply by speaking in their local dialect. With support for over 40 African languages, technology adapts to the people, not the other way around. This AI-powered network will serve as a force multiplier for the AU’s Agenda 2063, providing the foundation for economic integration, water security, and modernized agriculture.
