This African Union-led policy brief explores the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in advancing sustainable youth development across Africa. Supported by partners like Google, Afreximbank, and UNESCO, the document aligns AI with Agenda 2063, advocating its use to close educational gaps, foster entrepreneurship, boost agricultural productivity, and improve healthcare.

The Policy brief builds on the “Make Africa Digital (MAD)” campaign, which has trained over 4,000 youth in six countries. The brief identifies four strategic priorities: infrastructure investment, inclusive legislation, robust public-private partnerships, and digital education. It provides practical case studies, such as AI in Ghanaian agriculture and Nigerian youth-led innovations in health tech. Recognizing the digital divide exacerbated by poor internet penetration, limited access to electricity, and gender inequality the brief emphasises digital inclusion, particularly for rural youth and women. The Policy brief It advocates for Africa-centric AI policies that consider cultural values, invest in AI capacity building, and mainstream ethical and inclusive design. Ultimately, the brief aims to empower Africa’s young population to thrive in the global digital economy through deliberate and inclusive AI-driven policies and programs.