By Emmanuel Ogbodo<\/p>\n
A new report from research consultancy Public First has revealed that Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to contribute more than $30 billion to Africa\u2019s economy over the next 10 years. Commissioned by Google, the report highlights the transformative role that AI and other emerging technologies, such as cloud computing, could play in driving economic growth and addressing key challenges across the continent.<\/p>\n
The report emphasises that AI\u2019s vast applications, from improving healthcare outcomes to enhancing agricultural productivity, hold enormous potential for driving growth and solving some of Africa\u2019s most pressing problems. For instance, AI could boost healthcare by offering more accurate diagnostics and treatment options, while in agriculture, AI technologies can enhance productivity through data analytics and precision farming techniques.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith AI, the future of Africa\u2019s digital economy is bright and full of possibilities,\u201d the report noted.<\/p>\n
It also examined connectivity in Africa, noting that Sub-Saharan Africa is entering a \u201cdigital decade\u201d as over half the region’s population is expected to gain internet access. This surge in connectivity, combined with the increased adoption of digital tools, presents significant opportunities for economic development. According to the report, even a 1% increase in internet connectivity could boost GDP by nearly 6%, underscoring the critical role of digital technology in shaping the continent\u2019s future.<\/p>\n
In 2023 alone, Google’s tools\u2014such as Search, Maps, and YouTube\u2014generated $16 billion in economic activity across the region. \u201cThis underscores the important role these tools play in fostering growth, connectivity, and opportunity,\u201d the report stated.<\/p>\n
Google’s $1 billion commitment, announced in 2021, continues to drive innovation, improve connectivity, and support local entrepreneurs across the continent. The report also highlights the significance of skills development in unlocking Africa\u2019s economic potential. In 2023, Google’s Developer Scholarships and Digital Skills for Africa programs trained over 6.5 million people, resulting in a $7.8 billion productivity boost. These skills have enabled individuals and businesses to operate more efficiently, contributing to overall economic growth.<\/p>\n
Moreover, 60% of young adults in Sub-Saharan Africa have used Google Search to apply for jobs, further demonstrating the impact of digital tools on building careers in the digital economy.<\/p>\n
To fully harness AI\u2019s potential and other digital technologies, the report offers several strategic recommendations for African governments. These include prioritising cloud-first policies, strengthening digital infrastructure to support AI adoption, and enhancing STEM education. Promoting AI fluency and creating continuous learning opportunities are also essential. Additionally, the report stresses the importance of developing diverse, high-quality datasets for responsible AI development and calls for regulations that balance innovation with ethical considerations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Emmanuel Ogbodo A new report from research consultancy Public First has revealed that Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to contribute more than $30 billion to Africa\u2019s economy over the next 10 years. Commissioned by Google, the report highlights the transformative role that AI and other emerging technologies, such as cloud computing, could play […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":46567,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[180],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-49136","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"aioseo_notices":[],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49136","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=49136"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49136\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":49137,"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49136\/revisions\/49137"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/46567"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=49136"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=49136"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=49136"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}