MTN Group Chief Executive Officer Ralph Mupita has been appointed a founding commissioner of the AI for Good Global Commission, a United Nations-backed initiative that brings together some of the world’s leading figures in artificial intelligence, technology and public policy.

The commission, launched last week by the UN’s International Telecommunication Union (ITU), includes leaders such as Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huang, Amazon Chief Executive Andy Jassy, Microsoft President Brad Smith, Anthropic co-founder Jack Clark and Cohere co-founder Aidan Gomez. It is co-chaired by Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Salesforce Chief Executive Marc Benioff, while ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin serves as vice chair.

AI Commission unites global leaders

Comprising more than 40 members from governments, businesses and international organizations, the commission aims to promote responsible AI adoption, expand digital access and strengthen global cooperation on artificial intelligence.

“It is an honor to be one of the founding commissioners of the AI for Good Global Commission,” Mupita said in a statement Monday.

“At MTN Group, we believe AI has the potential to improve healthcare, education, food security and industrial productivity. AI must be safe, ethical and inclusive, and those principles are closely aligned with the commission’s mission.”

Other members include the presidents of Estonia and Iceland, ArcelorMittal Executive Chairman Lakshmi Mittal, African Union Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy Lerato Mataboge, and policymakers from Kazakhstan, Namibia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and Nigeria. OpenAI, Google DeepMind and Meta are not among the commission’s founding members.

Expanding Africa’s voice in AI

A central priority for the commission will be addressing the global digital divide. About 2.2 billion people remain without internet access, limiting their ability to benefit from advances in artificial intelligence.

The issue is especially relevant for MTN, which operates across 16 African markets where internet penetration remains relatively low in several countries. The commission builds on the work of the ITU/UNESCO Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development, which has long promoted greater digital inclusion worldwide.

Its first meeting is scheduled to take place this week during the AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva, alongside the inaugural UN-mandated Global Dialogue on AI Governance.

Supporting MTN’s AI Strategy

Mupita’s appointment comes as MTN accelerates the use of artificial intelligence across its business. Under the company’s Ambition 2030 strategy, MTN aims to generate about R30 billion ($1.8 billion) in value from AI over the next three to five years through operational improvements and new consumer and enterprise services.

Since becoming Group President and Chief Executive Officer in September 2020, Mupita has overseen the execution of MTN’s long-term strategy across its markets. During his tenure, the company added 16.3 million subscribers, increasing its customer base to 307.2 million across Africa and the Middle East.