Zambia is taking a significant step towards digital transformation with the establishment of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Center of Excellence, thanks to a partnership between the Zambian government and tech giant Google.
The initiative marks a pivotal moment for the country and the Southern African region, positioning Zambia as a leader in AI innovation.
The collaboration was formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in June, as highlighted by the Zambian Ministry of Technology and Science on their official Facebook page.
The AI Center of Excellence will be housed at the University of Zambia (UNZA) and is set to become the first of its kind in Southern Africa.
Technology and Science Minister Felix Mutati expressed enthusiasm about the center’s potential to foster innovation among young Zambians. “The Center of Excellence will provide a platform for young people to transform their ideas into products and solutions that address critical issues,” he stated during a recent tour of the newly built Zambia Research and Education Network (ZAMREN) House in Lusaka.
The AI Center aims to empower the next generation of innovators by providing them with the resources and support needed to tackle pressing challenges in Zambia.
With ZAMREN already connecting 150 institutions to high-speed internet, the center will leverage this infrastructure to facilitate research and development in AI technologies.
Mutati emphasized the importance of this initiative for training institutes, which will benefit from ZAMREN’s services, offering students free internet access for research purposes.
This access is crucial for nurturing talent and encouraging the development of AI-driven solutions that can address local issues.
