At the G20 summit in Cape Town, the UK government unveiled a series of new projects aimed at promoting responsible and inclusive use of artificial intelligence (AI) across Africa.
These initiatives support the newly launched ‘AI for Africa Initiative’, and are being delivered in partnership with leading African and international organisations. The goal: to harness AI in ways that drive social impact, strengthen democracy, and ensure the technology is developed and used fairly and safely.
A new evidence alliance for AI and social impact
The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), working alongside Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and Community Jameel, has announced the creation of the AI Evidence Alliance for Social Impact (AEASI).
This £2.75 million programme will focus on making sure AI solutions in Africa are backed by strong evidence and deliver real-world benefits. The FCDO is contributing £1 million as part of a broader $7.5 million partnership with Google.org.
The alliance will be implemented by two respected research organisations—J-PAL and IDInsight—and will:
- Test which AI tools actually improve lives in Africa and Asia.
- Support local researchers to lead and shape AI research.
- Provide practical guidance to policymakers and development partners.
- Bring together stakeholders to set future priorities for AI investments.
By ensuring that AI development is guided by evidence, the alliance aims to make investments more inclusive and more closely aligned with local needs.
Launching Africa’s hub for AI safety, security and peace
The UK also announced support for a new African Hub for AI Safety, Security and Peace, to be based at the University of Cape Town. This will be the 12th global AI lab and the second in South Africa, developed under the UK-Canada AI for Development (AI4D) programme.
The hub’s mission is to make sure that African perspectives play a central role in shaping global conversations about AI safety and governance. Its work will include:
- Helping researchers, policymakers, and communities understand and address potential risks from AI.
- Developing governance frameworks and technical tools designed for African realities.
- Engaging communities to ensure solutions reflect local priorities.
- Giving African experts a stronger voice in global decision-making on AI rules and standards.
This initiative also supports South Africa’s priorities during its G20 presidency, highlighting Africa’s growing leadership in shaping the responsible future of AI.
AI Minister Kanishka Narayan said:
“AI has the power to fuel growth, build trust and transform lives – and every country should share in that. That’s why we’re backing African-led innovation that puts people first, tackles real-world challenges, and builds global resilience. By working with countries like South Africa, we’re making AI safer, fairer and more inclusive – and helping communities shape the future on their terms”.
Maggie Gorman Velez, Vice-President, Strategy, Regions and Policies at the International Development Research Centre said:
“Artificial intelligence holds extraordinary potential, but only if the tools, knowledge and power to shape it are accessible to all – that includes contextually grounded research and evidence on what works and what does not. That is why IDRC is proud to be supporting this new evaluation work as part of our ongoing commitment to the responsible scaling of proven safe, inclusive, and locally relevant AI innovations”.
George Richards, Director of Community Jameel, said:
“AI has the potential to help tackle some of the world’s most pressing challenges, but we need evidence of which AI solutions work effectively, safely and fairly in order to maximise its impact. We are excited to be launching this new alliance to help generate the rigorous evidence we need and scale effective AI solutions to benefit communities around the world”.
Alex Diaz, Head of AI for Social Good, Google.org said:
“AI has great potential to benefit all people but we urgently need to study what works, what doesn’t, and why if we are to realise this potential”. Photo by mikemacmarketing, Wikimedia commons.