Use the following clickable timestamps to listen to the podcast.

00:00 Introduction

00:47 Growth, debt, and investing in people

03:14 Building an AI ready Africa

05:23 Governance and jobs

12:34 Conclusion

In this new episode, we explore one of the biggest opportunities of our time: Artificial Intelligence, and what it could mean for jobs, productivity, and livelihoods across Africa.

Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa is holding up better than expected, with the forecast raised to 4.3%. Yet once population growth is taken into account, income growth is only 1.8%, which is not enough to create jobs and reduce poverty. So can Africa harness AI to change that trajectory?

Joined by Andrew Dabalen, Chief Economist for the World Bank's Africa Region, the conversation draws on questions sent in by listeners across the continent. It unpacks what the latest Africa Economic Update says about growth, debt, and poverty. It also looks at why AI will more likely enhance skills than displace jobs, and what governments should prioritize to become AI-ready, from electricity and connectivity to skills and governance.

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