15 Jul 2024

African Observatory on Responsible AI Receives Major Grant to Advance Inclusive AI Futures in Africa

PRESS RELEASE

CAPE TOWN: MONDAY 15TH JULY 2024

The Global Center on AI Governance has been awarded a generous grant from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada and the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). With funding of CAD 2 million, this grant will enhance the capacity of the African Observatory to inform inclusive, just and sustainable AI governance across the African continent.

Over the past 3 years, the African Observatory on Responsible AI has deepened African agendas on responsible AI through partnerships with leading research hubs across the continent and supported the inclusion of African experiences and expertise in global debates and decision-making on AI.

Since launching in 2021, some of the key successes of the African Observatory on Responsible AI have been:

Working with African researchers across 41 African countries to ensure meaningful representation of African countries in the Global Index on Responsible AI.
Offering bursary awards on the study of AI governance in Africa to emerging researchers across the continent.
Building the evidence base on Responsible AI in Africa through open access research, policy conferences and policy briefs, available at www.africanobservatory.ai.
Supporting implementation of the UNESCO Recommendations on the Ethics of AI across 9 African countries.

With the new funding, the African Observatory on Responsible AI will continue and extend these activities. In addition, some of the key initiatives that will be supported by the new funding include:

Certificate courses on African AI ethics, human rights and policy for policy-makers, students and interested stakeholders in partnership with The Ethics Lab at the University of Cape Town and other African universities.
Policy engagement and technical assistance on AI governance, including collaborations with key institutions such as the African Union and various African governments.
Peer learning and capacity strengthening on responsible AI for networks of African AI policymakers.
On demand policy research and knowledge synthesis to support emerging AI governance requirements.
Continued work with the Cambridge University Press open access journal, Data for Policy, to lead a Special Collection on African AI Ethics and Policy.
Supporting communication activities across the AI4D community.
Global and continental collaborations, including with UNESCO, the MENA Responsible AI Observatory, various African universities and several multilateral institutions, to drive the inclusion of African expertise in global debates and facilitate knowledge exchange.

Dr Fola Adeleke, the Executive Director of the Global Center on AI Governance, stated “the African Observatory remains committed to continuing its work in advancing African perspectives on responsible AI globally. With this funding commitment from IDRC and FCDO, we will drive policies and practices that support diverse African societies to safely and responsibly harness the benefits of AI in realisation of Africa’s development goals.”

About Us

The Global Center on AI Governance is a pioneering AI hub headquartered in Africa, dedicated to championing responsible AI governance and practices on a global scale. In an era where AI holds transformative power and huge risks, our mission is clear: ensuring equitable AI governance through the conscientious production and exchange of knowledge, harnessing local insights for global impact. The two flagship projects of the Global Center on AI Governance are: the Global Index on Responsible AI, and the African Observatory on Responsible AI.