Equitable AI for Africa

Multilateralism and partnerships

The second G7 Ministerial Meeting on Industry, Tech and Digital took place on 10 October in Rome, which was pivotal on the heels of the adoption of the Global Digital Compact by 193 countries during the UN's General Assembly. The discussions echoed the call to action for global digital cooperation on digital technology and AI to close the digital divide and meet the needs of the most marginalized.

Realizing this outcome calls for innovative partnerships, including with the private sector, to unlock and harness Africa's AI potential. This aligns with the vision of the AI Hub, which resonated in the remarks Tonee Ndungu, CEO of Kytabu (one of the startups participating in the AI Hub's Startup Accelerator Pilot) delivered to the G7 delegates.

"AI cannot leave Africa behind," Ndungu said. "We must act now collaboratively with the right investment, deep talent development and data integrity to guide the continent to the place it needs to go."

Also addressing the G7 delegates was Karim Beguir, founder and CEO of Instadeep, who represented African leadership in the AI entrepreneurial ecosystem. He spoke to the benefits and potential of innovating in Africa, while affirming "it is possible to build win-win partnerships" with African and developed countries.

A digital future that leaves no country behind

The AI revolution is already underway, with immense potential to transform digital economies. As the global community moves to seize the manifold opportunities, AI's development, governance and use must be inclusive and equitable to ensure no country is left behind. The AI Hub shares this vision and is aimed at accelerating sustainable AI-driven industrial growth across the African continent.

UNDP, ITU, the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Italian Republic are already collaborating to leverage the work under the AI for Good initiative to provide support and capacity-building for African startups participating in the AI Hub.

Discussions during both the UN General Assembly and the G7 Ministerial Meeting shed light on the growing private sector commitment to AI for sustainable development in Africa, particularly with AWS, Engineering Ingegneria Informatica, Sony, and other industry leaders joining African innovators in shaping inclusive market solutions. Notable interest emerged around the compute-energy nexus, marked by discussions that forayed into ways to enable equitable access to computing capabilities while addressing Africa's renewable energy potential.

The AI Hub's momentum continues to build with its presence at the recent AI Expo Africa in Johannesburg, and an upcoming networking event in San Francisco that will convene G7 leaders, major tech companies, African innovators, and international development partners to advance public-private partnerships for AI in Africa.

For more information about the AI Hub for Sustainable Development and opportunities to get involved, visit aihubfordevelopment.org or contact [email protected] .