ALX, Anthropic and Rwanda Unveil Landmark AI Education Partnership

ALX,  Anthropic,  and the Government of Rwanda have unveiled a landmark collaboration aimed at transforming education and workforce development across Africa through artificial intelligence. Central to this initiative is “Chidi,” an AI-powered learning companion built on Anthropic’s Claude model, which supports both students and teachers through inquiry-based, critical-thinking-driven learning.

The partnership marks one of the largest AI-enhanced education deployments in Africa—aligning ALX’s mission to cultivate future-ready talent, Anthropic’s commitment to safe and accessible AI, and Rwanda’s Vision 2050 strategy for a digitally empowered population.

“This collaboration marks a bold step in redefining how African talent learns, works, and leads in the age of AI. He added that the initiative ensures Africa’s young people are not just consumers of AI, but creators, shaping the innovations that will define the global economy.”

– Fred Swaniker, Founder and CEO, ALX

Chidi’s Early Success and Rwanda’s Phase 2 Pilot

Following a successful Phase 1 rollout among ALX learners—recording more than 1,100 conversations and 4,000 chats in under 48 hours—the initiative is now entering a sweeping Phase 2 pilot in Rwanda. This expansion brings Chidi into public education, higher learning institutions, and government training programs.

Up to 2,000 teachers and a selection of civil servants will undergo ALX’s AI Career Essentials program, gaining hands-on experience with generative AI tools powered by Anthropic’s Claude LLM. These educators will learn to design lessons more efficiently, enhance classroom engagement, and boost day-to-day productivity.

Graduates of the pilot will also receive a full year of access to Claude tools—including Claude Pro and Claude Code—to help extend AI proficiency across academic and government institutions.

Shaping National AI Policy and Local Innovation

A joint working group among ALX, Anthropic, and the Rwandan government will document insights from the pilot and feed them into Rwanda’s national AI policy for education. The collaboration will also explore future innovations such as Chidi for Schools and localized African-language AI models, strengthening regional digital sovereignty.

Anthropic, which is providing Claude’s capabilities along with covering LLM/API associated costs, sees this as part of its broader mission for beneficial global deployment.

“By partnering with ALX and the Rwandan government, we’re ensuring Claude’s capabilities strengthen education safely and responsibly across several countries in Africa.”

– Elizabeth Kelly, Head of Beneficial Deployments, Anthropic

 

Rwanda’s Vision: AI for Inclusive, Future-Ready Learning

The Government of Rwanda, represented by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of ICT & Innovation, is providing policy support, access to institutions and a framework for scaling. While Rwanda is not incurring financial obligations under the partnership, it is strategically positioning AI as a tool for nation-building.

Education Minister Joseph Nsengimana emphasized that the pilot will be evaluated on tangible improvements in teaching quality, digital literacy and student outcomes. ICT Minister Paula Ingabire highlighted that the initiative aligns with Rwanda’s long-term goal to cultivate a workforce capable of navigating emerging technologies responsibly.

A New Blueprint for AI-Enabled Education

Collectively, the partners aim to give African students and teachers the same AI-powered learning advantages found in advanced global tech hubs. The project positions Rwanda as the continental launch hub for future expansion across Africa.

By merging ALX’s training ecosystem, Anthropic’s cutting-edge AI research, and Rwanda’s progressive governance, the initiative signals a defining moment for Africa’s digital transformation—one that builds local capacity, enhances educational equity, and showcases Africa as a driving force in global AI innovation.