Cassava Technologies, Anthropic and Google are looking to tap into the growing Artificial Intelligence (AI) space in Africa through a new partnership.
The deal will see the companies offer advanced cloud, cyber security, and generative AI capabilities to African businesses.
This comes at a time that Africa is witnessing an increase in cyber-crime activities as organisations continue to become more digitised.
Throughout 2023 Africa remained one of the world regions most targeted by cybercrime according to insights released by Kaspersky.
Recent reports, reveal that no country is spared and the financial services sector now an enhanced target of criminals.
The criminal techniques are swiftly changing. In Africa for example, cybercrime is estimated to cost $4 billion (Sh572billion) a year.
This is a clear indication that cyber-attacks are a real threat and that cyberspace is becoming unsafe environment for African firms.
Cassava Technologies, co-founder and executive chairman Strive Masiyiwa said the partnership is through its Liquid C2 arm.
“We recognise the importance of responsible AI in enabling access to economic opportunities and empowering individuals and businesses across the continent. Our partnership will help us deliver AI-powered solutions that address the unique challenges and opportunities in Africa’s digital transformation journey,” said Masiyiwa.
Africa is among the regions with the highest number of detected attacks on industrial control systems (ICS computers).
ICS computers are used in energy and mining sectors, automotive manufacturing, building automation infrastructures and other spheres to perform a range of operational technology functions – from the workstations of engineers and operators to supervisory control and data acquisition servers.
For banks, cybersecurity is now one of their key areas of focus as increasing numbers of their customers fall victim to more sophisticated scams relying on cyber techniques and using advanced social engineering and manipulation techniques.
This collaboration builds upon an earlier agreement with Google Cloud signed in November 2023.
Liquid C2 will enhance cyber security and cloud services across Africa, integrating Google Cloud's latest AI, data, collaboration, and security solutions.
By strengthening cyber security and integrating gen AI capabilities, Liquid C2 aims to create a safer, more innovative digital experience for African businesses.
Collaboration between Liquid C2, Google Cloud, and Anthropic is essential for driving progress and innovation in Africa's emerging technology landscape.
Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, emphasized the transformative potential of generative AI for businesses in Africa, highlighting Google's investment in Africa's digital transformation.