Tech giant Meta has introduced the Llama Impact Grant, a funding initiative designed to support startups and researchers in Sub-Saharan Africa who are leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to address pressing social issues.
In partnership with Data Science Africa, the program aims to foster innovation using Meta’s open-source AI models, Llama 2 and Llama 3. It will provide up to $500,000 in funding for projects focused on critical sectors such as education, agriculture, and healthcare.
Among the early beneficiaries is Digital Green, which has teamed up with One Acre Fund to develop a multilingual AI-powered chatbot. The chatbot is designed to deliver personalized agricultural advice to smallholder farmers, enhancing productivity and sustainability across the region.
Speaking on the initiative, Balkissa Ide Siddo, Meta’s Public Policy Director for Sub-Saharan Africa, emphasized the transformative role of AI in society:
“We’re still in the early days, but AI is likely to fundamentally change every aspect of our lives, spurring innovation, turbo-charging growth, and driving an explosion in learning and productivity.
At the forefront of this transformation are open-source AI models, like Meta’s Llama, which are available for free for organisations to use, modify, and build on. Through this grant programme, we’re hoping to support and scale AI-driven solutions across Africa that address the continent’s unique social and economic challenges, empowering innovators to drive meaningful impact across the region.”
Meta’s Llama Impact Grant aligns with the company’s commitment to open-source AI development and global digital inclusion. By empowering African innovators, Meta seeks to drive AI-led solutions that foster economic growth and technological progress across the continent.
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