The African Development Bank and technology giant, Intel, have announced plans to equip three million Africans and 30,000 government officials with AI skills.
According to a statement on AfDB’s website, the deal sealed at the recent Annual Meetings of the bank in Nairobi, Kenya, would help create a critical mass of Africans proficient in Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) skills to accelerate growth and productivity and position Africans as contributors to, not just consumers of 4IR.
The bank’s Acting Director of Industrial and Trade Development, Ousmane Fall, emphasized the importance of digital skills for Africa’s youths.
He said, “With advancements in digital technology, our world is rapidly evolving, and so is our youthful population, projected to reach 830 million by 2050. To develop skills on a large scale and at the necessary speed, we need everyone’s cooperation.
“The bank is thrilled to collaborate with Intel to work towards this shared commitment. Together, we are shaping the digital future of Africa and empowering our youths.”
On his part, the Director of Government Affairs Africa and IGA CTO Liaison at Intel, the Bienvenu Agbokponto Soglo, stated, “Intel looks forward to furthering its collaboration with African governments to make advanced technologies such as AI accessible to all, breaking down barriers related to geography, gender, and ethnicity, and enabling widespread participation in the digital economy.”
The partnership will also support African countries, regional economic communities, and continental organizations in developing harmonized policy and regulatory frameworks in AI, 5G, Wi-Fi 6E, data and cloud.
