On the eve of AI Expo Africa 2025, Google.org announced a $2.85 million (~R49 million) investment to boost AI skills development, education, and cybersecurity initiatives across South Africa in 2026.
The funding builds on the R37 million that Google had already committed earlier in the year, signaling a deepening of its local strategy to expand AI talent pipelines and strengthen community resilience through trusted nonprofit and academic partnerships.
“This is about building capacity where it matters most — in our classrooms, our communities, and our innovation spaces,” said Kabelo Makwane, Country Director for Google South Africa. “By backing organisations already doing impactful work, we can help develop the skills and resilience needed to build a more secure and inclusive digital future.”
Targeting Education, Innovation, and Safety
The majority of Google.org’s 2026 funding will go toward advanced AI education and research at the university and tertiary level.
- FATE Foundation and the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) will receive $1.5 million to embed Google DeepMind’s AI Research Foundations Curriculum into universities across South Africa, providing students with access to global-standard AI education.
- The African Technology Forum AI Challenge will receive $350,000 to support a program that gives young innovators hands-on experience in designing AI solutions for real-world challenges.
- Junior Achievement Africa, one of the continent’s largest youth empowerment organizations, will receive $500,000 to expand AI and digital entrepreneurship training.
- CyberSafe Foundation will also receive $500,000 to democratize access to cybersecurity and AI education, helping South Africans build safer digital communities.
Building South Africa’s AI Talent Pipeline
Google.org’s local investment strategy reflects a growing emphasis on AI capacity-building across Africa, aligning with broader efforts by governments and private-sector partners to prepare the workforce for the digital economy.
In addition to academic initiatives, Google plans to support community-based programs focused on online safety, ethical AI awareness, and inclusion, ensuring that the benefits of technological innovation extend beyond urban centers and formal education systems.
“AI has extraordinary potential to transform economies, but the real power lies in ensuring more people can participate and benefit,” Makwane added. “By supporting trusted organisations across education and civil society, we can help build an AI ecosystem in South Africa that is inclusive, secure, and globally competitive.”
Looking Ahead
The newly funded programs are expected to begin rolling out in early 2026, with measurable outcomes in AI literacy, innovation capacity, and cybersecurity resilience.
Google’s continued investment underscores its commitment to empowering Africa’s next generation of AI practitioners and digital leaders, positioning South Africa as a key player in the continent’s rapidly evolving AI ecosystem.
