The opportunity
Africa stands at the threshold of a powerful AI revolution. To harness its potential for addressing the continent’s most pressing issues and drive inclusive and responsible growth, a collaborative effort to propel AI is needed. A unified approach is required to shape the pillars of AI development, namely data, compute and talent. Risks abound in the absence of collective action and an enabling ecosystem, which can limit AI’s potential for sustainable development.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants must:
- Be based in one of the nine pilot countries outlined in the Italy-Africa Mattei Plan: Algeria, Republic of the Congo (Congo Brazzaville), Côte D’Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, or Tunisia
- Develop or be aspiring to develop AI solutions that address one or more of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a focus on Education and Training, Energy, Health, Agriculture, Water, and Infrastructure (both physical and digital)
- Contribute to one of the three pillars of the AI Hub for Sustainable Development:
- Compute distribution and affordability
- Talent development and orchestration
- Data quality, accessibility, and digitization
- Demonstrate a commitment to responsible and sustainable AI development and deployment practices
- Demonstrate professional-level proficiency in English. English is a requirement for at least one member of your team (who will also be expected to participate in the in-person activities of the programme