Google has emphasized that Africa, home to the world's largest youth population expected to double to more than 830 million by 2050, faces both a major opportunity and an urgent call to action with the rise of artificial intelligence AI.
A senior Google leader reflected on his own journey, recalling how, as a young engineering student in Zimbabwe, a research project on neural networks opened his eyes to AI's potential and the need for it to serve everyone. At Google, it was stressed that access to AI requires not just connectivity and products, but also training. The company noted that AI is central to its mission of making information universally accessible and useful, and could play a transformative role in democratizing knowledge and learning while preventing a new digital divide.
Google highlighted its decades-long role in boosting Africa's connectivity, starting with its 2006 investment in the Seacom cable. It recalled its 2021 pledge of 1 billion over five years to expand internet access - a target it said has already been surpassed. More than 1 billion has now been invested in resilient and secure infrastructure across the continent. As part of this continued commitment, Google announced the launch of four new subsea cable connectivity hubs across Africa, aimed at strengthening regional and international digital corridors and spurring economic growth.
