South African telecommunications group Telkom has pledged $6.1 million (R100m) to establish its Artificial Intelligence (AI) Institute to expand AI and digital skills across the country.
The commitment was announced yesterday at the International Telecommunication Union's (ITU) World Summit on the Information Society Forum 2026 in Geneva, Switzerland, where the Partner2Connect (P2C) Digital Coalition said it had surpassed US$100 billion in global connectivity pledges.
The pledge by South Africa mobile operator makes Telkom one of the organisations recognised in the latest round of P2C commitments, highlighting the growing role of private-sector investment in expanding digital skills and supporting AI adoption across the continent.
According to Telkom, the AI Institute will serve as a platform for practical AI and digital skills development, focusing on preparing young people, small businesses and underserved communities for opportunities in the digital economy.
The company said the initiative is intended to equip participants with job-ready skills while encouraging innovation and broader participation in AI-driven industries.
It has not yet disclosed details such as the institute's launch date, operating model, curriculum, strategic partners or how the $6.1 million investment will be allocated.
Telkom said the initiative reflects a growing need to complement investments in network infrastructure with programmes that help people develop the skills needed to participate in an increasingly AI-driven economy.
"Connectivity without capability only gets South Africa halfway there," said Serame Taukobong, Group CEO of Telkom.
"We have spent years building the networks that connect this country. The Telkom AI Institute is our commitment to ensuring that connectivity translates into skills, jobs and opportunity, starting with the South Africans who stand to gain the most and who have had the least access until now."
The broader P2C initiative was launched by the ITU in 2021 to mobilise investment towards universal and meaningful connectivity. According to the organisation, it has now received more than 1 000 pledges from 149 countries, supporting projects in more than 190 countries.
The ITU estimates that achieving universal, meaningful connectivity by 2030 will require between $2.6 trillion and $2.8 trillion in investment globally.
Other organisations announcing commitments during the forum included Microsoft, which pledged to expand satellite-enabled connectivity to more than 450 rural and underserved community hubs in Kenya.
ZTE Corporation committed $450 million over three years to ecosystem partnerships intended to accelerate AI adoption, while GSMA announced support for the African AI Language Models project, which aims to develop AI systems that better reflect African languages.
"Partner2Connect having surpassed its $100 billion goal is a landmark achievement in global efforts towards universal meaningful connectivity," said Doreen Bogdan-Martin, secretary-general of the ITU.
"Today is a powerful reminder that every pledge makes a difference in bringing everyone on board our shared digital future."
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