African Growth and AI Network: IPRA

The African Growth and AI Network (AGAIN) will generate context-specific evidence on how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping labour markets, productivity and inequality as adoption of AI accelerates. This project will coordinate data collection and analysis across multiple African countries to inform inclusive AI policies that support decent work and economic resilience. The Institute of Policy Research and Analysis (IPRA) in Uganda will collect harmonized data from 1,200 firms and 4,500 workers in Uganda, Kenya and South Africa, analyze large-scale job posting data and link findings, where possible, to tax and social protection records. The project will also test practical policy responses through a worker support experiment and a regulatory sandbox for digital labour platforms.

Key outcomes include open datasets, country-level policy papers and practical tools to support fair and inclusive AI governance. Ultimately, this project will equip policymakers and decision-makers with the data, evidence and recommendations they need to harness AI for inclusive economic growth and decent jobs in Africa, while mitigating the risks and creating adequate support for economic transitions.

AGAIN is part of Artificial Intelligence for Development (AI4D), a partnership between IDRC and the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. It aims to strengthen policy, innovation and leadership for responsible and inclusive AI development in Africa. AI4D’s vision is to foster an AI ecosystem that improves quality of life across the continent.