The Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has held talks with senior officials of Google on how artificial intelligence can be used to improve education in Ghana and across Africa.

In a Facebook post, the Minister said the meeting took place during the ongoing Generative AI Summit in the United Kingdom. He described the engagement as productive and focused on practical ways to strengthen teaching, learning and digital access.

“Yesterday, I had a fruitful engagement with the Vice President of Google in the ongoing Generative AI Summit in the United Kingdom, where ideas were shared to improve quality education in Ghana and Africa as a whole,” he wrote.

Mr Iddrisu highlighted Google’s recent announcement of a major investment in Africa’s digital future. In July 2025, Google announced a US$37 million investment in AI research and digital skills development across the continent. The package includes plans to open a new AI Community Centre in Accra.

According to the Minister, the investment is part of Google’s wider US$1 billion commitment to Africa’s digital transformation and places Ghana in a strategic position. “This firmly positions Ghana as a key hub in this journey,” he said.

He also disclosed that Google is already working with the University of Ghana and the GDI Hub to develop speech recognition and AI tools for local languages. These include Twi, Ewe and Dagbani, with special attention given to non-standard speech patterns to make digital tools more accessible.

During the discussions, the Minister said he pushed for the inclusion of Hausa, which is widely spoken in Ghana and across West Africa.

“I emphasised the importance of including Hausa. Integrating Hausa will deepen regional inclusion and further strengthen Ghana’s leadership as an AI innovation hub on the continent,” he noted.

The Education Minister further revealed that Google has given firm assurances on access to its education platforms in Ghana. He said Google’s Director of Operations for Africa and the Gemini project lead confirmed that the company’s education tools will be provided on a zero-rated basis.

“This includes curriculum-aligned content and resources on the responsible use of AI in teaching and learning, ensuring access for all learners regardless of location or income,” he explained.

Mr Iddrisu said Ghana’s role in artificial intelligence goes beyond adoption. “Ghana is not just participating in the AI revolution, we are helping to shape it for Africa,” he added.