JOHANNESBURG – Two of South Africa’s top universities, the University of Pretoria (UP) and the University of Witwatersrand (Wits), have secured R35 million in funding from tech giant Google to accelerate artificial intelligence (AI) research and innovation on the continent.
The announcement follows Google’s broader investment strategy to grow AI infrastructure, research and talent development across Africa. The funding forms part of a $37 million package, which also includes the launch of an AI Community Centre in Accra, Ghana.
UP’s African Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (AfriDSAI) will receive R17 million. The transdisciplinary research hub brings together scientists, technologists and grassroots communities to explore how AI and data science can better serve African societies.
Wits will receive R18 million through its Machine Intelligence and Neural Discovery Institute (MIND). The institute focuses on decoding machine, human and animal intelligence, with an emphasis on fundamental AI research and building capacity in frontier science.
Beyond university-based research, Google is also introducing a catalytic funding platform aimed at scaling up AI-driven start-ups addressing real-world challenges in health, education, agriculture and other key sectors. Over 100 early-stage ventures are expected to benefit, with access to mentorship, technical tools and responsible AI development support.
The announcement was made by Google executives James Manyika and Yossi Matias, who said the initiatives are designed to ensure Africa is not only part of the global AI conversation, but also leads with solutions rooted in its unique context.
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