The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) - the United Nations agency for digital technologies - Google, and musician, tech founder and philanthropist will.i.am have launched an initiative to bring artificial intelligence and robotics training to students across Africa.
Announced during the Digital@UNGA Anchor Event at the UN General Assembly, the programme combines hands-on AI and robotics training for young people in underserved communities, including in those countries where the joint ITU-UNICEF Giga initiative is working to help governments connect schools to the Internet.
Digital@UNGA, a week-long series of activities during the General Assembly, spotlights global digital cooperation and opportunities to use digital technologies for good.
"This initiative will open new doors of opportunity for AI literacy among young people, enabling them to lead the digital transformation that is reshaping how we live, work and communicate," said ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin. "ITU is working to equip youth across Africa with the training and tools they need to thrive in an AI-powered world."
The new programme addresses the dual challenge of connecting offline populations and building digital skills in communities that have been harder to reach. Special emphasis will be placed on reaching girls and other underrepresented groups.
While demand for AI skills is increasing rapidly, 2.6 billion people remain offline worldwide, including 1.3 billion children. In Africa, 60 per cent of young people are still unconnected, severely limiting opportunities to learn and thrive in the digital economy.
Once schools are connected to the Internet through the Giga initiative, students aged from 10 to 18 years old will gain access to AI training through ITU's AI Skills Coalition and Robotics for Good Youth Challenge, initiatives of ITU's AI for Good programme.
Backed by ITU's AI Skills Coalition Goodwill Ambassador will.i.am, founder and president of the i.am Angel Foundation, the initiative will deliver hands-on robotics kits, localized AI curricula and teacher training to schools participating in the programme.
"In our global tech-driven economy, it's urgent that we help bring young people in critically underserved areas up to speed so they can participate," said will.i.am. "With STEM, robotics and AI skills, bright young minds across Africa will be equipped with the skills required to succeed and help solve the world's most pressing problems."
Google, through its philanthropic arm Google.org, will contribute AI expertise and funding of USD 1 million to launch the programme.
For many children, this programme will offer the first chance to access the internet, code and experiment with robotics.
"To take full advantage of the opportunities presented by AI, we must democratize access, making it available to everyone, everywhere," said James Manyika, Senior Vice President of Research, Labs, Technology & Society at Google. "We see this AI and robotics training program as an important part of how we're delivering on our mission in Africa, where Google is working to expand connectivity, increase access to AI tools, and build skills across the continent."
The programme will launch in Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa to establish the foundation for bringing AI and robotics skills training into schools across the continent.
Activities will include customizing courses, training teachers and facilitators, distributing robotics kits to schools, and hosting national showcases.
The work in the first five countries will build on existing Robotics for Good competitions and Giga partnerships. Robotics for Good is already active in more than 60 countries around the world, while Giga is engaged in 45.
Over time, the initiative will expand to countries across Africa and eventually worldwide.
