Times Magazine has named him one of the most influential people in AI and he sits at the helm of Google. The person in question is James Manyika, a Zimbabwean-American who’s talent and work have propelled him to be at the frontier of technology which has reshaped the world and changed our lives forever.

James Manyika was born and raised in Zimbabwe. He attended local institutions such as Prince Edward School and obtained a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering from the University of Zimbabwe. He was then awarded the Rhodes Scholarship to attend the University of Oxford in the UK where he obtained a Masters in Science, a Master of Arts and a Doctor of Philosophy in AI & Robotics. 

In his early career he was awarded a research fellowship at Oxford’s Balliol College and worked at the engineering faculty at Oxford. In 1997 he joined McKinsey & Company offices in the United States, rising to become a senior partner and a member of McKinsey’s board; he was the chairman and director of the McKinsey Global Institute for thirteen years. Today he is the senior vice-president of Google-Alphabet and reports directly to the CEO.  

Manyika’s work has brought him to the attention of the Obama administration where he was appointed the vice-chair of the United States Global Development Council at the White House. In 2023, the United Nations (UN) assigned him to the UN Level-Advisory Board on Artificial Intelligence. He has worked as a visiting professor at his alma mater Oxford. His influence in education also includes sitting on boards and advising some of the world’s most prestigious institutions such as Harvard, MIT, Stanford University and the University of Toronto to mention a few.

Manyika is also committed to philanthropy and giving back. He has also served as an advisor and trustee for some of the biggest philanthropic endeavours in the world including the MacArthur Foundation, the Hewlett Foundation and the Khan Foundation. He established the J. M. D. Manyika Fellowship (at Harvard University) to support Southern African scholars and artists in the contribution to knowledge and culture of people of African descent. 

Manyika a truly a person not only the nation of Zimbabwe can take pride in but the continent at large. His expertise and knowledge have taken him across the world and into the most powerful corridors of power and influence. The decisions he has made in technology and AI will resonate for generations to come and make him one of the most outstanding individuals the continent can boast of.