Microsoft Aims to Train One Million South Africans in AI and Cybersecurity
Johannesburg, January 23 (Reuters) - Microsoft aims to provide training opportunities in artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity to one million people in South Africa by 2026, Microsoft Africa President Lillian Barnard said on Thursday. Microsoft's global AI skilling initiative targets a broad audience, and in South Africa will prioritize everyone from businesses to government and young people, Barnard said at the company's "AI Tour" in Johannesburg. She did not disclose the financial outlay for the initiative. "By providing training opportunities and access to industry-recognised certifications, our youth will be well-positioned to compete on a global stage," Barnard said. Microsoft, the world's largest "hyperscale" public cloud provider, which built data centers in South Africa, has trained four million Africans in the past five years and has committed to enabling 30 million Africans over the next five years. (Reporting by Nqobile Dludla; editing by Barbara Lewis)