AI for Africa- Harnessing AI for jobs, growth, and investment

Artificial intelligence is transforming industries, reshaping value creation, and redefining the future of work. With Sub-Saharan Africa set to add 20 million working-age adults to its labour force every year by 2050, the stakes could not be higher. How can African economies leverage AI to unlock job opportunities, drive innovation, and enable sustainable economic development? London Business School’s Wheeler Institute for Business and Development, DFS Lab, and the LBS Data Science and AI Initiative held a timely public event exploring how Africa can take a prominent role in the global AI economy. This conversation brought together leading voices from business, policy, and academia to examine real-world use cases, emerging investment activity, and strategies for building an inclusive and globally competitive AI ecosystem across the continent. The event addressed the future of work and investment in Africa’s AI economy. The panel considered how AI can support inclusive employment and economic transformation by creating new jobs and skills while empowering entrepreneurs and SMEs as engines of innovation. The conversation explored investment opportunities, including how to scale AI for productivity, position Africa within the global AI value chain, and mobilise public and private capital to build competitive, future-ready sectors. The panellists included Henry Obi, Partner at Helios Investment Partners and LBS alum, Ido Sum, Former Partner at TLcom capital, Tokunboh Ishmael, Managing Partner and Co-founder of Alitheia Capital, moderated by Jake Kendall, General Partner at DFS Lab. This event was opened by Tiago Martinho, Executive Director of The Wheeler Institute for Business and Development at London Business School. Subscribe to our YouTube channel ➤ https://bit.ly/3bukgoT Visit our website ➤ https://bit.ly/3cl5b8m Follow our social media accounts: Twitter: https://bit.ly/3gGs1Kg LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2TyBfQY Instagram: https://bit.ly/3cLK54D 0:00 Welcome & Introduction 6:09 Jake Kendall: AI and the Global Job Market 14:12 The Data: AI's Impact on Jobs in the US 19:34 The Economic Context for AI in Africa 26:41 The Rapid Adoption & Falling Cost of AI Inference 30:47 How AI Can Drive Services and Export Growth 37:23 Panel Discussion: Meet the Experts 41:00 The Biggest Opportunities for AI in Africa 56:50 Risks, Challenges, and the Infrastructure Gap 1:04:30 Q&A: Will AI Widen the Global Inequality Gap? 1:07:56 Q&A: AI's Role in Agriculture & Farming 1:16:29 Q&A: Bridging the Skills Gap for Young Africans 1:19:34 Q&A: The Ecological Cost of AI Infrastructure 1:22:29 Closing Remarks