This week at the UN General Assembly in New York, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Google, and innovator will.i.am announced a new initiative to bring AI and robotics training to young people across Africa.

The programme will provide internet access, robotics kits, and AI-focused lessons to students aged 10–18, starting in Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa. By localising curricula, training teachers, and hosting national showcases of student projects, the initiative aims to give young people the tools to thrive in an AI-powered future.

“Bright young minds across Africa will be equipped with the skills they need to succeed and help solve the world’s most pressing problems,” said will.i.am, ITU’s AI Skills Coalition Goodwill Ambassador.

Google.org is supporting the programme with $1 million in funding and AI expertise.

“To take full advantage of the opportunities presented by AI, we must democratise access, making it available to everyone, everywhere,” added James Manyika, Google’s SVP of Research, Technology & Society.

For many students, this will be their first time online – and their first chance to code, build, and experiment with robotics. Over time, the programme will expand across Africa, helping create a new generation of AI pioneers.