Intel and the African Development Bank AfDB are teaming up to provide AI training for millions of Africans

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has partnered with technology giant Intel to provide advanced artificial intelligence (AI) skills to three million Africans and 30,000 government officials.
This collaboration, as stated on the AfDB’s website, aims to transform the digital ecosystem in Africa. The goal is to equip individuals with expertise in AI, robotics, and data science to drive economic growth and productivity on the continent.
By training Africans in AI, the partnership seeks to empower the continent to actively contribute to the development and innovation in technology. This initiative is expected to have a positive impact on various sectors such as agriculture, health, and education, addressing socio-economic challenges and enhancing productivity for sustainable development and improved quality of life in Africa.
Intel’s director of government affairs Africa and International Government Affairs chief technology officer liaison, Bienvenu Agbokponto Soglo, expressed Intel’s excitement about working with African governments to make advanced technologies like AI accessible to all, regardless of location, gender, or ethnicity, enabling participation in the digital economy.
In addition to individual training, the partnership will assist African countries, regional groups, and continental organizations in developing consistent policies and regulations for digital technologies such as AI, 5G, and cloud computing, promoting a unified approach to digital transformation across Africa.
While African countries are striving to catch up in the AI field, Nigeria recently made significant progress by launching its first multilingual large language model to lead AI development on the continent.
Despite these efforts, Nigeria, like many other African nations, faces a talent gap in building AI technology that can compete with tech giants like OpenAI, Google, and Meta. The high cost of training AI models also presents a significant barrier for individuals and organizations outside the tech industry, limiting their participation in the AI revolution.
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