AI-related searches surge in SA, Nigeria & Kenya – Google

New Google Search trends show a high interest in artificial intelligence (AI) in South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya during the first half of 2024, with growing curiosity about AI jobs and qualifications as well as AI assistance to build creativity.

The search giant's trends data from January 1-July 15, 2024, showed interest in AI grew by 150% in Kenya, 130% in Nigeria and 120% in SA, compared to the same period last year.

Google found that Kenya had the fourth-highest search interest in AI in Africa and ranked 13th in the world. Meanwhile, Nigeria had the sixth-highest search interest in AI in Africa and was 25th globally.

Searches in Kenya for "what is AI" increased by 60% year-over-year (YoY), while searches for "how to use AI" increased by 90%.

Searches for "what is AI" increased by 30% YoY in Nigeria and 20% in SA; while searches for "how to use AI" increased by 70% in SA and 40% in Nigeria.

Google said that South Africans are looking to use AI to build their careers and creativity – with trending searches including "AI image generator," "AI writer," "online AI chat" and "logo maker AI" – all of which were breakout searches in 2024, growing over 5,000% in interest since this time last year.

In Nigeria, the breakout searches were "create a logo with AI," "create CV with AI," "design website with AI," "design a flyer with AI" and "create slides with AI," which all grew over 5,000% YoY.

For Kenyans, the breakout searches were "AI generated images," "AI logo maker," "AI text chat generator" and "ask AI questions" – also growing over 5,000% YoY.

Google executives for West Africa, East Africa and Southern Africa agreed that AI has the potential to create opportunities for all Africans and bring new waves of innovation, social and economic progress.

AI job and qualification searches

The research also shows that South Africans, Nigerians and Kenyans are keen to grow their AI skills and qualifications.

Searches for "AI jobs" and "AI course" both grew by over 80% in South Africa. Searches for "AI and business" doubled, while searches for "AI and startups" increased by 30% YoY in SA.

Nigerian searches for "AI and courses" grew 50% YoY – while top questions include "is AI hard to learn," "how to learn AI" and "how to access and learn about AI."

In Nigeria, search interest in AI and business more than doubled, while searches for AI and jobs increased by over 640%.

In Kenya, searches for "AI jobs" increased 230%, while searches for "AI course" rose 120% YoY. Top queries around AI and learning included "where to learn AI and machine learning in Kenya," "learn prompt engineering" and "what is needed to learn AI."

Searches for "AI and business" increased by 60% in Kenya, and searches for "AI and startups" grew by 70% YoY.

Search interest in cybersecurity and AI also doubled across South Africa and Kenya and grew by 80% in Nigeria, while people showed a clear interest in the future of AI for science.

Across the three countries there was also high search growth when it came to AI and doctors, AI and medicine, AI and hospitals, as well as AI and healthcare.

Google Search data shows that searches for AI courses grew by 120% in Kenya, 80% in South Africa, and 50% in Nigeria. (Source: DC Studio on Freepik)

The results show ongoing interest in all things AI and follow on from Google's January 2024 report which showed Google searches related to AI topics increasing by 370% during 2023 in South Africa.

Google offers free AI training programs to Africans through its Hustle Academy which launched in 2022 and has trained users in over 10,000 businesses.

Google also supports promising AI-focused startups in Africa through its Google for Startups Accelerator Africa program which earlier this month selected ten AI-driven ventures for its 2024 cohort.

Insurance industry looks to AI

In another announcement this week, insurance company Prudential said it was expanding a strategic partnership with Google Cloud to build innovative AI-powered products and applications to help solve business and customer challenges.

Prudential said it plans to launch an AI Lab, which will be supported by Google Cloud, to accelerate Prudential's adoption of machine learning (ML), AI and generative AI (Gen AI) and to help its employees to use these technologies better.

It said this was the first partnership of its kind for the insurance industry in Asia and Africa.

Prudential provides life and health insurance and asset management in 24 markets across Asia and Africa. In Africa it operates in Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, Nigeria, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire and Togo.

The AI Lab will provide Prudential's 15,000 employees with a new sandbox environment and step-by-step process for turning their ideas into scalable AI products and applications.

This includes access to leading large language models, advanced and secure Gen AI and data analytics solutions, and end-to-end cloud provision.

Based in Singapore, the AI Lab will also partner with institutes of higher learning, research centers, promising start-ups and AI experts.

This launch extends the working relationship between Prudential and Google Cloud that was established in 2019 with the aim of driving better insurance, health and financial outcomes across Asia and Africa.

— Paula Gilbert, Editor, Connecting Africa