The African Technology Forum (ATF) has expanded its flagship initiative, dubbed the "ATF AI Challenge," to support the training of more than 10,000 university students and young professionals in Artificial Intelligence (AI) across Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa over the next two years.

This follows a $1 million commitment from Google.org, a key partner in the initiative, which seeks to close Africa’s growing AI skills gap by connecting participants directly to employment, entrepreneurship, and innovation opportunities.

The ATF unveiled the initiative in Accra on May 7 as part of efforts to build what organisers described as Africa’s largest AI talent pipeline initiative.

The programme will train participants through a structured pathway that combines foundational AI education, hands-on product development and employer engagement.

The initiative also targets a minimum 40 percent female participation rate and seeks to achieve a 25 percent career advancement rate for participants within six months of completion.

The ATF designed the programme around sectors such as health, agriculture, education, and finance, where participants will build AI-powered solutions for real-world institutional challenges.

The organisers stated that the programme would move beyond theoretical learning by equipping participants with practical skills in generative AI, Python and application programming interfaces before guiding them to develop functional minimum viable products for industry and institutional partners.

A Co-Founder of the ATF, Mawuli Tse, said the programme would empower young Africans to participate actively in the global AI economy rather than remained consumers of emerging technologies.

"Africa's greatest resource is its human talent. This funding from Google.org allows us to build the pipeline that will ensure this generation doesn't just consume AI, but builds it,” he said.

For her part, the Head of Google.org, Liza Ateh, said the organisation supported the programme because of its emphasis on practical innovation and inclusive participation within Africa’s technology ecosystem.