Google.org partners with Wits MIND Institute to boost AI research in Africa

The Johannesburg-based institute receives new funding to expand talent development, interdisciplinary projects, and policy dialogue on artificial and natural intelligence.

The Wits MIND Institute, under the leadership of Professor Benjamin Rosman, has secured significant backing from Google.org to advance research in artificial and natural intelligence. The initiative will reinforce the institute’s efforts in training researchers, fostering cross-sector collaboration, and shaping AI-related policy conversations in Africa.

Since its launch in late 2024, the institute has welcomed 34 MIND Fellows and supported over 25 research projects spanning areas from reinforcement learning to digital humanities. Rosman, recently recognized on TIME’s TIME100 AI “Thinkers” list, emphasized that the goal is to place African researchers at the forefront of global AI discovery and ensure outcomes serve society at large.

Wits University Vice-Chancellor Zeblon Vilakazi noted that the collaboration builds on the institution’s long tradition of innovation and strengthens Africa’s role in shaping the future of AI worldwide.