ITU, Google, and will.i.am Launch Major Initiative to Train Young AI and Robotics Pioneers in Africa

The training will be accessible to students aged 10 to 18 years old once their schools are connected to the Internet through the Giga initiative.

RMN News Technology Desk
September 25, 2025

New York, 24 September 2025 – The International Telecommunication Union (ITU)—the United Nations agency for digital technologies—Google, and musician, tech founder, and philanthropist will.i.am have launched a joint initiative to bring artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics training to students across Africa.

The program, announced during the Digital@UNGA Anchor Event at the UN General Assembly, combines hands-on AI and robotics training for young people in underserved communities. The ITU’s AI Skills Coalition and the Giga Initiative are working through this effort to bridge the digital skills gap in African schools. Digital@UNGA is a week-long series of activities during the General Assembly that highlights global digital cooperation and opportunities to leverage digital technologies for good.

Addressing the Digital Divide

The new initiative addresses the dual challenge of connecting offline populations and building necessary digital skills in communities that have historically been harder to reach. While the demand for AI skills is rapidly increasing, 2.6 billion people globally remain offline, including 1.3 billion children. In Africa, 60 percent of young people are still unconnected, severely limiting their opportunities to learn and thrive in the digital economy.

ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin noted that this initiative will “open new doors of opportunity for AI literacy among young people, enabling them to lead the digital transformation”. She affirmed that the ITU is focused on equipping youth across Africa with the training and tools needed to thrive in an AI-powered world.

Program Structure and Support

The training will be accessible to students aged 10 to 18 years old once their schools are connected to the Internet through the Giga initiative. Students will gain access to AI training through initiatives of ITU’s AI for Good programme, specifically the AI Skills Coalition and the Robotics for Good Youth Challenge.

The program will deliver several core components:

• Hands-on robotics kits.
• Localized AI curricula.
• Teacher training to schools participating in the programme.

For many children, this initiative will offer their first opportunity to access the internet, code, and experiment with robotics. Special emphasis will be placed on reaching girls and other underrepresented groups.

will.i.am, who serves as the ITU’s AI Skills Coalition Goodwill Ambassador and is the founder and president of the i.am Angel Foundation, stressed the urgency of the work. He stated: “In our global tech-driven economy, it’s urgent that we help bring young people in critically underserved areas up to speed so they can participate”. He believes that with STEM, robotics, and AI skills, bright young minds across Africa will be equipped to succeed and “help solve the world’s most pressing problems”.

Google’s Contribution

Google, through its philanthropic arm Google.org, is contributing AI expertise and funding of USD 1 million to launch the programme.

James Manyika, Senior Vice President of Research, Labs, Technology & Society at Google, emphasized the necessity of broad access: “To take full advantage of the opportunities presented by AI, we must democratize access, making it available to everyone, everywhere”. He sees the AI and robotics training program as a crucial part of Google’s mission in Africa, which includes expanding connectivity, increasing access to AI tools, and building skills across the continent.

The program will initially launch in five countries: Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa. Activities in these countries will involve customizing courses, training teachers and facilitators, distributing robotics kits to schools, and hosting national showcases. The work in these initial countries will leverage existing Robotics for Good competitions and Giga partnerships. Currently, Robotics for Good is active in more than 60 countries globally, while Giga is engaged in 45. The ultimate goal is for the initiative to expand across Africa and eventually worldwide.