AI News Monitor

JOHANNESBURG — The United Arab Emirates on Saturday pledged a $1 billion investment to deploy artificial intelligence infrastructure and services across Africa, positioning itself as a key external partner in the continent’s race to harness the transformative technology.

The initiative, announced by Emirati Minister of State Saeed Bin Mubarak Al Hajeri at the G20 leaders’ summit here, aims to channel A.I. into critical development sectors like education, healthcare, and climate adaptation. The move signals a strategic expansion of the U.A.E.’s growing economic footprint in Africa, leveraging its own heavy investments in A.I. to shape digital development abroad.

“We consider A.I. not just as a future industry but a cornerstone of humanity’s future,” Mr. Al Hajeri said in a statement. He described the “A.I. for Development” program as a commitment to “developing responsible and inclusive A.I. for the benefit of everyone.”

The pledge arrives as African nations and development banks are urgently formulating strategies to capture what a recent African Development Bank report estimated could be a $1 trillion A.I.-driven boost to the continent’s economy by 2035. That report, however, stressed that such gains depend on bridging vast gaps in computing power, data infrastructure, and skilled labor—precisely the gaps the U.A.E. initiative seeks to address.

The U.A.E., though not a G20 member, was invited to the summit by the host, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. The Gulf state has become one of Africa’s most significant economic partners. According to the announcement, bilateral trade reached about $107 billion in 2024, a 28 percent increase, while total Emirati investments in Africa exceeded $118 billion from 2020 to 2024.

Abu Dhabi is itself pouring resources into becoming a global A.I. hub, with plans to build one of the world’s largest data-center complexes. The African initiative effectively exports this ambition, framing A.I. as a tool for global equity while extending the U.A.E.’s diplomatic and commercial influence.

The announcement was met with interest but also caution by analysts, who note that the success of such external investments will hinge on alignment with African-led governance frameworks and sustainable capacity building, not just infrastructure deployment.

Details on the initiative’s governance, timeline, and specific projects are expected in the coming months.