Telkom, one of South Africa’s largest telecommunications companies, is laying the groundwork for an institute it hopes will help develop the country’s AI skills.Group CEO Serame Taukobong used the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum in Geneva to announce the initiative, with the company planning to invest about R100m in establishing the institute.He said the institute is aimed at equipping South Africans with AI and digital skills, as the telecom group broadens its focus from connectivity to workforce development.“Connectivity without capability only gets South Africa halfway there,” Taukobong said.“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.”(Dorothy Kgosi) According to Telkom, the proposed institute forms part of its Vision 2030 strategy, under which the company aims to expand its role beyond providing telecommunications infrastructure to supporting digital skills development and innovation.The announcement comes as governments and businesses increase investment in AI capabilities amid growing demand for AI-related skills. South Africa has also been developing a national policy framework for AI as it seeks to position itself to benefit from the technology while addressing digital skills gaps.Telkom’s pledge will be tracked through the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) Partner2Connect (P2C) Digital Coalition.Listen: PODCAST | The One Telkom strategy unpackedThe ITU said the Partner2Connect initiative has attracted more than 1,000 pledges from 149 countries, with projects under way in more than 190 countries. The UN agency estimates that achieving universal, meaningful connectivity by 2030 will require between $2.6-trillion and $2.8-trillion in investment globally.The company did not provide details on where the proposed institute would be based, when it would be launched, how the pledged funding would be deployed, or whether it would operate through partnerships with higher education institutions or as a standalone training platform.“Reaching $82bn in Partner2Connect pledges is a defining milestone in our journey toward universal digital development,” said Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, director of the ITU’s telecommunication development bureau. “Now is the time to turn these pledges into impactful projects, aligning countries’ and regional priorities with partner commitments and delivering measurable results across all regions.”