Free programme targets African public servants as AI reshapes government work
By Staff Reporter
NEW YORK — African public officials are set to gain free access to specialised artificial intelligence (AI) training following the launch of a new programme by the African Development Bank Group and its partners.
The initiative, launched on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, brings together the African Development Bank Group, the UNDP AI Hub for Sustainable Development, Google and Apolitical.
The programme is designed to help government officials understand AI, assess its risks and opportunities, and apply the technology more effectively in public-sector work.
Through Apolitical’s Government AI Campus, participants will have access to courses including AI Fundamentals for Public Servants: Opportunities, Risks and Strategies; AI Leadership in Government: Building Trust, Skills and an Innovative Culture; and Smarter Procurement with AI.
The courses were developed by Stanford University Online and SDA Bocconi School of Management, while Google and Apolitical are providing the learning platform and content.
Ousmane Fall, the African Development Bank Group’s Director for Industrial and Trade Development, said AI was already changing the way people work and could deliver substantial productivity gains if users understood how to apply it.
“AI is changing how we work. It promises major productivity gains if users fully understand its application,” Fall said.
He said building AI knowledge within government had been neglected and that the new partnership would help address the skills gap.
The training programme follows recommendations contained in the Bank Group’s report, Africa’s AI Productivity Gain: Pathways to Labour Efficiency, Economic Growth and Inclusive Transformation.
According to the report, inclusive deployment of AI could add up to US$1 trillion to Africa’s gross domestic product by 2035. The report identifies skills and trusted governance among five key conditions needed for Africa to realise the potential economic benefits of AI.
“As the AI landscape continues to evolve, governments across Africa need timely support to strengthen the institutional and technical foundations required to participate meaningfully in the AI economy,” said Keyzom Ngodup Massally, Director of the AI Hub for Sustainable Development and UNDP Head of Digital and AI Programmes.
The AI Hub for Sustainable Development is a G7-endorsed initiative co-led by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Italy’s Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy. It also aligns with Italy’s Mattei Plan for Africa.
The African Development Bank Group is a founding member of the AI Hub’s Executive Steering Group.
The training is self-paced and free of charge. Enrolment is open to serving government officials and public servants in the African Development Bank’s regional member countries.
The programme targets officials working in areas including AI-enabled public service delivery, digital infrastructure, public-private partnerships and innovation.
The initiative seeks to strengthen the capacity of African governments to understand and responsibly use AI while developing the institutional, technical and governance foundations needed to participate in the emerging AI economy.
Ends….
Loading …
Leave a Reply