Exclusive or Exclusionary? Top AI Journalism Fund Leaves Most of Africa Out
Francis
A major international funding opportunity aimed at fostering artificial intelligence (AI) literacy and implementation in newsrooms has been criticized for offering only highly limited access to news organizations across the African continent.
The JournalismAI Innovation Challenge, supported by the Google News Initiative and run by Polis at the London School of Economics (LSE), recently announced its eligible geographies for the latest cohort, offering grants of up to US $100,000 for projects focusing on AI for audience intelligence and revenue growth.
While the program includes a section for the "Middle East and Africa," eligibility for the continent is restricted to just two nations: Kenya and Nigeria.
With Africa comprising 54 recognized countries, media experts are pointing out that the vast majority of African news publishers—from South Africa and Egypt to Senegal and Ghana—are effectively excluded from a vital opportunity to participate in and shape the future of AI-driven journalism.
Limited Seats at the Table
The Challenge is designed to support small and medium-sized news publishers (10-200 personnel) that are already exploring AI technologies. Its explicit goal is to enable publishers to "experiment, implement and share best practices."
However, by restricting African participation to its two most populous economies, critics argue the program is missing a chance to address the diverse media needs and infrastructural challenges present across the continent.
"Innovation challenges like this are crucial for developing local solutions tailored to local needs, especially in emerging markets," said one Nairobi-based media consultant. "When you limit the African region to just two countries, you are essentially determining which markets get a head-start in the AI race and which are left to catch up."
The geographic breakdown for the program also includes extensive lists of eligible countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America.
The organizers have previously stated that the Challenge aims to foster AI literacy globally. The question remains whether the exclusion of over 50 African nations from direct participation aligns with that global mission, or if it inadvertently creates a new digital divide in journalistic innovation.
