Bill Gates has committed at least $1 billion over the next two years to help expand access to artificial intelligence in poorer countries and prevent underserved regions from falling further behind in the rapidly developing technology.
The funding, announced through the Gates Foundation, will support the development and deployment of AI tools in key sectors including healthcare, education and agriculture.
The initiative is also expected to focus on improving AI systems for communities and languages that have received limited attention from the technology industry.
The Gates Foundation said the investment is aimed at ensuring that AI becomes a tool for reducing inequality rather than widening the gap between wealthy and poorer countries.
Africa is expected to benefit from the initiative, although the foundation has not announced a specific amount that will be allocated to the continent.
The commitment builds on the foundation’s existing work across Africa and other developing regions. Among its ongoing initiatives is a $50 million primary healthcare programme in Rwanda.
Gates has also highlighted the potential of AI to support people in developing economies, particularly in areas where there are shortages of healthcare workers, teachers and agricultural experts.
The foundation said AI could help improve access to essential services by providing tools that support healthcare workers, farmers and educators.
However, concerns remain over unequal access to technology, limited digital infrastructure, language barriers and the availability of reliable data in developing countries.
The latest funding commitment therefore seeks to support AI applications that are designed around the needs of communities that may otherwise be overlooked by commercial technology development.
The initiative comes as governments and technology companies around the world accelerate investment in artificial intelligence, raising concerns that countries with weaker digital infrastructure could struggle to benefit equally from the technology.
Gates has warned that decisions made over the next few years could determine whether AI helps narrow existing inequalities or contributes to widening them.
Business Insider Africa report; Reuters report; Associated Press report.
