Telkom has pledged a USD 6.1 million / R100 million commitment; to establish the Telkom AI Institute, a new platform designed to equip South Africans with artificial intelligence and digital skills, foster local innovation, and accelerate inclusive participation in the digital economy.
The pledge was announced today in Geneva, Switzerland as part of the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) Partner2Connect (P2C) Digital Coalition, which confirmed at the WSIS Forum 2026 High-Level Week that it has surpassed USD 82 billion in global commitments to connect the world. Telkom is one of only a handful of South African and African companies recognised in this round of pledges.
For Telkom, the announcement is about more than joining a global ledger. South Africa’s digital divide is no longer only a question of network coverage. As artificial intelligence reshapes economies faster than most skills systems can respond, the risk is that a second, harder-to-close gap will emerge: a divide between who is connected, but between who can use that connection to build a livelihood.
“Connectivity without capability only gets South Africa halfway there,” said Serame Taukobong, Group CEO, Telkom. “We have spent years building the networks that connect this country. The Telkom AI Institute is our commitment to ensuring that connectivity translates into skills, jobs and opportunity, starting with the South Africans who stand to gain the most and who have had the least access until now.”
