# Frederic Werner, AI for Good Impact Africa - CNBC Africa

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9kS-oTldBE
Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/O9kS-oTldBE
Generated: 2025-11-11T05:10:02.789+00:00

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## Quick Overview

Fred Werner, Co-Founder of AI for Good, discusses leveraging Artificial Intelligence to solve Africa's development challenges through initiatives like the AI for Good Global Summit and a new ITU/UNICEF partnership focused on ethical AI training for youth across 35 African countries, aiming for widespread adoption of AI skills and standardized ethical practices.

**Key Points:**
- AI for Good established its initiative in 2017 based on the premise that AI has great potential to solve global challenges like healthcare, education, energy, and food security.
- The organization hosts the AI for Good Global Summit annually, which recently took place in Geneva, Switzerland.
- A new initiative, a Google, ITU, and UNICEF project, focuses on connecting African youth to address global challenges using ethical AI practices.
- This new project involves an AI and Robotics competition, with hundreds of students from African schools competing right now, and a commitment of $1 million from partners to train participating kids.
- The ITU-led initiative specifically targets AI education in 35 African countries, including South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, and Ivory Coast, using a bottom-up approach working with schools and a top-down approach working with government authorities.
- The goal is to equip students with AI/Robotics skills and knowledge to develop local solutions, ultimately bridging Africa's digital divide and closing the AI skills gap.
- The ITU's established public-private partnership model includes 194 member states and over 1,000 tech companies and institutions as partners.

![Screenshot at 0:09: Fred Werner, Co-Founder of AI for Good, introduces himself during the interview, with the 'AI for Good Global Summit' branding visible in the background.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/O9kS-oTldBE/00-00-09.png)

**Context:** Fred Werner, Co-Founder of AI for Good, joins a CNBC Africa interview to discuss the organization's mission and recent activities centered on applying Artificial Intelligence solutions to development challenges across Africa. The discussion centers on the potential of AI to address critical sectors and the importance of ethical implementation, particularly through youth education and competition.

## Detailed Analysis

Fred Werner, Co-Founder of AI for Good, details the organization's work, which began in 2017, focusing on utilizing AI to solve major global challenges across healthcare, education, clean energy, disaster management, food security, and physical manifestation of AI like robotics and autonomous driving. He highlights the AI for Good Global Summit held annually in Geneva. A major recent development is a collaboration between Google, the ITU (International Telecommunication Union), and UNICEF to connect African youth to address global challenges using ethical AI practices. This includes an ongoing AI/Robotics competition where students from African schools compete, supported by a $1 million pledge to train participants. Werner notes that the ITU program is expanding from 17 countries to 35, targeting countries like South Africa (where the kick-off is happening), Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, and Ivory Coast. The strategy involves both bottom-up engagement with schools and top-down collaboration with government ministries (ICT and Education) to foster local AI development and close the skills gap. He emphasizes that the ITU's existing framework, involving 194 member states and 1,000+ tech partners, provides a strong foundation for scaling AI literacy and ethical standards across the continent.

### AI for Good Founding Principle

- AI has great potential to solve global challenges like healthcare, education, clean energy, disaster management, food security, and physical AI manifestations like robotics and autonomous driving
- Initiative began in 2017
- Relies on the premise that AI can solve many global challenges.

### AI for Good Global Summit & Competitions

- Summit held annually in Geneva, Switzerland
- Currently hosting an AI/Robotics competition for African students
- A $1 million pledge supports training for competing kids.

### ITU, UNICEF, and Google Partnership

- New project focuses on connecting Africa's youth to address global challenges with ethical AI practices
- Targets AI education in 35 African countries (e.g., South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Ivory Coast)
- Aims to equip youth with skills to develop local solutions.

### Implementation Strategy

- Uses a combined bottom-up approach (working with schools) and top-down approach (working with government authorities and ministries)
- Focuses on creating ethical, safe, inclusive, and sustainable AI development
- Aims to scale AI literacy exponentially by standardizing practices.

![Screenshot at 0:10: Fred Werner introduces himself and mentions working for the UN agency ITU, noting the AI for Good Global Summit.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/O9kS-oTldBE/00-00-10.png)
![Screenshot at 0:44: The screen updates the lower third graphic to "BRIDGING AFRICA'S DIGITAL DIVIDE" while Werner discusses embodied AI and robotics.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/O9kS-oTldBE/00-00-44.png)
![Screenshot at 1:22: The lower third updates to "CONNECTING AFRICA'S YOUTH TO ADDRESS GLOBAL CHALLENGES WITH ETHICAL AI PRACTICES" as Werner discusses the ITU's work in four buckets.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/O9kS-oTldBE/00-01-22.png)
![Screenshot at 2:26: The lower third changes to "AFRICA'S FUTURE IN TECH: STUDENTS TO GAIN HANDS-ON AI, ROBOTICS TRAINING" highlighting the focus on youth skill development.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/O9kS-oTldBE/00-02-26.png)
![Screenshot at 3:12: The lower third changes again to "AI, ROBOTICS TRAINING TAKES CENTRE STAGE IN NEW ITU, PARTNERS INITIATIVE" emphasizing the standardization effort.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/O9kS-oTldBE/00-03-12.png)
![Screenshot at 3:52: The lower third changes to "AI FOR GOOD IMPACT REPORT: SHOWCASING ETHICAL AI USE IN AFRICA" as the host inquires about the numbers reached.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/O9kS-oTldBE/00-03-52.png)
![Screenshot at 4:04: The lower third updates to "ITU, PARTNERS BRING AI EDUCATION TO SCHOOLS IN GHANA, KENYA, NIGERIA, AND BEYOND" as Werner discusses reaching communities.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/O9kS-oTldBE/00-04-04.png)
![Screenshot at 10:57: Werner provides the contact information: 'AI for Good.itu.int' for listeners interested in joining the initiative.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/O9kS-oTldBE/00-10-57.png)