The Italian government has launched a collaborative platform to promote AI-driven growth in Africa. With an annual budget of €5 million, the initiative aligns with the Italy-Africa Mattei Plan and G7 objectives to empower local AI ecosystems in key sectors
Strategic initiative launched. On Wednesday, the Italian government approved the establishment of an AI Hub for Sustainable Development.
- Minister Adolfo Urso proposed this innovative initiative to support Italy’s objectives for the 2024 G7 Presidency and the Mattei Plan for Africa.
- The AI Hub is designed to accelerate sustainable, AI-driven industrial growth in Africa by fostering local start-ups and entrepreneurial partnerships.
- The programme will strengthen local AI ecosystems in critical sectors such as agriculture, health, infrastructure, education, training, water, and energy.
- Based in Italy, the hub will unite over 100 entities, including governments, international organisations, and technology companies.
Funding and vision. An annual expenditure of €5 million will be allocated via the state budget’s “Special Reserve Funds.”
- The hub is conceived as a multi-stakeholder platform that complements existing G7 initiatives and aligns with global efforts to harness AI’s transformative potential for sustainable development.
- It will promote equal partnerships with African countries, driving local, regional, and global collective action.
What Is the AI Hub? The AI Hub for Sustainable Development is a collaborative initiative to accelerate AI-driven industrial growth in Africa.
- It focuses on four pillars: inclusive datasets, local AI talent development, accessible green computing infrastructure, and creating enabling environments for responsible AI adoption.
- Its goal is to empower African economies and facilitate lasting development by targeting strategic sectors.
Experts’ take. Italy’s commitment to leveraging AI for sustainable development aligns with the longstanding mission of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), wrote diplomat Vincenzo Del Monaco and official Eva Spina from the Italian Ministry of Business, along with Keyzom Ngodup Massally of the UNDP.
- “Both Italy and the UNDP recognise that it is imperative to create space for developing countries not merely to use AI, but to become active participants and equal partners in its development, governance and use,” they stated in an analysis published in October by the Washington-based think tank Atlantic Council.
- “This approach can ensure that its benefits are harnessed responsibly, equitably and sustainably for long-term development impact,” they added.
