The UK Government has backed new AI projects across Africa, supporting the G20 ‘AI for Africa Initiative’ announced in Cape Town.
The AI for Africa Initiative aims to develop projects that promote the responsible and inclusive use of artificial intelligence innovation across the continent.
These projects, delivered in partnership with leading African and international organisations, aim to accelerate development outcomes, strengthen democratic resilience, and ensure AI technologies are used safely and equitably.
AI Minister Kanishka Narayan stated: “AI has the power to fuel growth, build trust and transform lives, and every country should share in that. That’s why we’re backing African-led innovation that puts people first, tackles real-world challenges, and builds global resilience.
“By working with countries like South Africa, we’re making AI safer, fairer and more inclusive – and helping communities shape the future on their terms.”
AI Evidence Alliance for Social Impact set to deploy tech for social good
As part of the AI for Africa Initiative, the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is partnering with Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and Community Jameel, a major philanthropic science funder, to launch the AI Evidence Alliance for Social Impact (AEASI).
This is a new £2.75m initiative to advance the evidence-informed deployment of AI for social good in Africa. It also forms part of a wider $7.5m collaboration with Google.org to support AI impact evaluations.
The partnership will:
- Fund experimental evaluations to identify which AI tools deliver real-world impact in Africa and Asia
- Strengthen local research leadership and capacity
- Provide actionable research and guidance for policymakers and practitioners
- Convene key stakeholders to share insights and set future research and funding agendas
“Artificial intelligence holds extraordinary potential, but only if the tools, knowledge and power to shape it are accessible to all – that includes contextually grounded research and evidence on what works and what does not,” explained Maggie Gorman Velez, Vice-President, Strategy, Regions and Policies at the International Development Research Centre.
“That is why IDRC is proud to be supporting this new evaluation work as part of our ongoing commitment to the responsible scaling of proven safe, inclusive, and locally relevant AI innovations.”
The AI for Africa Initiative will help ensure that AI investments in low- and middle-income countries are evidence-based, inclusive, and aligned with development priorities.
Mitigating safety and security risks associated with AI
A new African Hub for AI Safety, Security, and Peace will be established at the University of Cape Town, becoming the 12th multidisciplinary global AI lab and the second in South Africa.
The hub will be supported through the UK-Canada AI for Development programme (AI4D) across sub-Saharan Africa. This pioneering lab will focus on understanding and mitigating the safety and security risks associated with AI, ensuring that African contexts and perspectives are part of the global AI governance debate.
The hub will:
- Build capacity for African researchers, policymakers, and communities to detect and address AI-related harms
- Develop governance frameworks and technical tools tailored to African contexts
- Facilitate community engagement and co-design, ensuring solutions reflect local priorities
- Position African actors in global AI rule-making processes
The launch aligns with South Africa’s G20 presidency priorities and the AI for Africa initiative, reinforcing the continent’s leadership in shaping the future of responsible AI.
