Telkom South Africa has committed $6.1 million (R100 million) to establish the Telkom AI Institute, a new initiative aimed at expanding artificial intelligence and digital skills development across the country.
The commitment was announced at the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum 2026 in Geneva through the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) Partner2Connect Digital Coalition, which also surpassed $100 billion in global digital connectivity pledges.
According to Telkom, the AI Institute will focus on delivering practical AI and digital skills training, particularly for young people, small businesses and underserved communities. The initiative is intended to help prepare South Africans for an AI-driven economy while advancing broader digital inclusion efforts.
The announcement reflects a growing shift across the telecommunications sector, where investment is increasingly extending beyond connectivity infrastructure to include digital skills development as governments and operators work to build more inclusive digital economies.
