Safaricom has announced a $500 million investment in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure across East Africa over the next three years. The telco aims to accelerate the region’s digital transformation by enabling advanced digital services and driving innovation in key sectors.
Speaking at the Connected Africa Summit in Diani, Kenya, Cynthia Kropac, Safaricom’s Chief Enterprise Business Officer, said Africa must move from being a passive consumer to a creator of AI technologies. “Africa has an opportunity to define its own AI destiny… AI will redefine Africa’s future, driving solutions for African challenges like multilingual education, climate-smart agriculture, and mobile health diagnostics,” she noted.
The investment will fund the development of data centres, edge computing capabilities, and digital skills programmes. Safaricom has already trained 5,000 employees in AI fundamentals and is pushing for harmonized data and digital laws across the continent to build a scalable AI ecosystem.
Kropac reaffirmed Safaricom’s commitment to “delivering seamless, intelligent, and inclusive digital experiences,” adding that the company remains focused on enabling socio-economic growth through strategic investments and partnerships.
Source: Extensia.tech
