TikTok has announced a $200,000 investment to strengthen artificial intelligence (AI) media literacy across Sub-Saharan Africa, amid growing concerns about the rise of deepfakes and AI-generated misinformation online.
The funding was revealed during the third annual Safer Internet Summit held in Nairobi, where the platform brought together policymakers, digital safety experts, civil society organisations, and media stakeholders to discuss online safety and responsible technology use.
The initiative forms part of TikTok’s broader efforts to equip users with the skills needed to understand artificial intelligence, identify manipulated content, and navigate digital spaces responsibly.
According to TikTok, the $200,000 fund will be distributed primarily through advertising credits to organisations already working on digital literacy and media education programmes.
These groups will use the support to produce educational campaigns that teach internet users how to identify AI-generated content such as deepfake videos, manipulated images, and synthetic audio.
The company said empowering people with these skills is essential as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into everyday digital life.
“AI is rapidly changing how content is created and consumed online,” the company said in a statement during the summit.
“Through this initiative, we want to ensure communities across Africa have the knowledge and tools to engage with AI responsibly, whether they are creators or viewers.”
Several organisations working in the digital information space are already expected to benefit from the initiative.
Among them is Africa Check, a leading independent fact-checking organisation operating in multiple African countries.
Africa Check works to verify public claims circulating online and in the media, helping citizens distinguish fact from misinformation.
Another beneficiary is DUBAWA, a fact-checking and media literacy initiative that combats misinformation across Africa through research, verification, and journalist training.
Kenya’s Mtoto News is also among organisations expected to use the support to create educational content that helps younger audiences understand the role of AI in digital media.
Artificial intelligence tools have significantly lowered the barrier to producing convincing fake content.
Deepfakes, AI-generated videos or audio that make people appear to say or do things they never did, have become increasingly common online, raising concerns among governments, media organisations, and digital platforms.
The challenge is particularly significant in regions where digital literacy levels vary widely and social media platforms are primary sources of news for many users.
TikTok said the funding is meant to help organisations educate the public on how AI works and how to critically evaluate digital content before sharing it online.
The $200,000 investment is part of a broader global programme launched by TikTok to promote responsible AI use.
In November 2025, the company introduced a $2 million global AI Literacy Fund, designed to support non-profit organisations and educators working to improve understanding of artificial intelligence.
The additional funding announced in Nairobi expands that initiative to specifically address the needs of Sub-Saharan Africa, where internet use and digital content creation are growing rapidly.
TikTok noted that as more African creators join the platform, equipping them with the knowledge to use AI tools responsibly becomes increasingly important.
Africa is one of the fastest-growing regions for social media adoption, with millions of young users joining platforms every year.
This rapid growth has also brought challenges, including the spread of misinformation, scams, and manipulated media.
Digital safety experts argue that teaching users to analyse online content critically is just as important as moderating harmful content.
By partnering with organisations already working on media literacy and fact-checking, TikTok hopes to build stronger awareness of how artificial intelligence can both enhance and disrupt the digital information ecosystem.
The Safer Internet Summit in Nairobi highlighted the growing collaboration among technology companies, governments, and civil society organisations to address online safety challenges.
Discussions at the event focused on youth safety, misinformation, digital well-being, and the responsible use of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
