GSMA and Telcos Unite to Build Inclusive AI Future

Africa’s leading mobile network operators are joining forces with the GSMA and the wider AI ecosystem to accelerate developing inclusive African AI. The GSMA, together with Airtel, the African Population for Health Research Center (APHRC), Awarri, Axian Telecom, Cassava Technologies, Ethio Telecom, Masakhane African Languages Hub, Lelapa AI, MTN, Orange, Pawa AI, Qhala, the World Sandbox Alliance and Vodacom, has announced a continent-wide collaboration to strengthen Africa’s AI capabilities through creating inclusive African AI language models.

The alliance seeks to align expertise, investment and infrastructure to close gaps in data, computing capacity, talent and policy. Its mission is to ensure that African languages, cultures and knowledge play a full role in shaping the global digital future.

AI language models in Africa, by Africa, for Africa

Under the shared ambition “AI Language Models in Africa, By Africa, For Africa,” the initiative aims to close Africa’s linguistic gap in AI.

By fostering collaboration across operators, governments, research institutions and technology providers, the group intends to ensure that the continent’s diverse voices and perspectives are reflected in global AI development.

While the GSMA recognises existing progress in AI adoption across Africa, it acknowledges that foundational challenges remain. The organisation is calling on additional ecosystem partners to align their efforts and accelerate the pace of AI innovation.

Today, most large language models (LLMs) are built around a limited number of global languages, which restricts their accessibility and relevance.

As the GSMA’s AI for Africa report highlights, Africa is home to more than 2,000 languages, yet only a small fraction feature in digital systems or AI models. The exclusion risks deepening existing digital and economic divides.

Empowering African industries through AI

Developing AI language models trained on African languages and local datasets will empower businesses, governments and communities to design AI-driven solutions relevant to local realities. It includes customer service applications, education tools, healthcare solutions, creative industry innovation and smarter public service delivery.

The GSMA and its regional partners conducted a feasibility study confirming that African-led AI language models are both technically achievable and economically viable. However, the study highlighted that success depends on collective action.

Fragmented efforts will not achieve the scale or impact required. Instead, leadership, investment and collaboration must converge around a shared vision for inclusive AI.

Building Africa’s digital future

The GSMA study identified four key enablers to be addressed: data, compute, talent and policy. To bridge these gaps, the collaboration will mobilise the continent’s leading telecom operators, governments, researchers, technology firms, investors and development organisations.

Working groups will focus on measurable progress across each of these areas, ensuring that outcomes are shared and transparent.

Partners have further committed to showcasing their progress at upcoming GSMA events, reinforcing accountability and maintaining momentum toward a more inclusive AI ecosystem.

By integrating AI capabilities into telecommunications infrastructure, operators will play a pivotal role in advancing Africa’s digital economy.

As data traffic grows and enterprise adoption accelerates, telcos have the opportunity to serve as enablers of AI-driven innovation across every sector.

A unified call to action

The GSMA and its members are urging wider collaboration from across the AI value chain. By taking a practical, problem-solving approach, they are creating new opportunities for innovation and value creation.

The goal is to strengthen digital sovereignty, build African AI expertise and unlock economic potential across industries.

Startups, academia, creative industries, civil society, global technology partners and donors are encouraged to join the initiative and contribute to a shared vision of inclusive AI development.

The call extends beyond infrastructure; it is about shaping how Africa participates in and influences the future of global technology.

Driving inclusion and innovation

Angela Wamola, Head of Africa at the GSMA, highlighted the significance of Africa’s linguistic and cultural diversity, stating: “Africa’s diversity of languages and cultures is one of our greatest strengths, yet it has too often been overlooked in the development of global AI systems.

"This initiative is about turning that challenge into an opportunity – building African-led AI capacity, empowering innovation across local industries and ensuring Africa shapes the digital future on its own terms.

"By working together, we can make AI more inclusive, more relevant and more reflective of the world we live in.”

The collaboration represents a defining moment for Africa’s digital transformation.

By aligning telecom operators and the AI community under a shared goal, the initiative positions Africa as a leader in inclusive, ethical and locally relevant AI innovation.