Google is investing $2.25 million to advance AI-ready data infrastructure across Africa, recognizing public data as a foundational resource for addressing critical challenges and unlocking the continent’s AI potential. The funding will support efforts to modernize Africa’s public data systems, making them more accessible, reliable, and prepared for use in artificial intelligence applications. A key component of this initiative is the expansion of Data Commons, Google’s open-knowledge repository that organizes public data into a unified, trustworthy platform. In partnership with the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), Google will help launch a regional Data Commons for Africa, designed to integrate and standardize data from across the continent. This will enable governments, researchers, and organizations to access high-quality, interoperable data more easily. Additionally, Google is supporting PARIS21, the Partnership in Statistics for Development in the 21st Century, to deliver AI training and technical assistance to National Statistical Offices across Africa. This support will build local capacity, empowering data professionals to use modern tools and methods to produce timely, accurate, and actionable insights. By transforming fragmented and underutilized data into a powerful, shared resource, these efforts aim to strengthen decision-making in key areas such as food security, healthcare, climate resilience, and economic planning. The initiative reflects Google’s broader commitment to ensuring that the benefits of AI are inclusive and reach communities that have historically been underserved in the digital and data economy.