Ghanaian youth lead start up builds offline SMS-based AI African reality

A Ghanaian startup, Funza AI, has been created by a young tech professional, Klenam Tamakloe, and his team to make artificial intelligence (AI) accessible to people without smartphones, internet access, or mobile data. The service allows users to interact with AI by sending text messages, receiving AI-generated responses without needing a smartphone, Wi-Fi connection, or data bundle.

The offline AI feature is set to launch by November 2026. Klenam Tamakloe explains that the inspiration for Funza AI comes from mobile money services, which expanded financial access to millions of people through mobile phones, without requiring traditional bank accounts. The startup aims to bring AI services to users by leveraging the devices they already possess, just as mobile money transformed financial inclusion.

Funza AI seeks to address the digital gap that excludes millions of Africans from new technologies due to the lack of reliable internet and affordable smartphones. The innovation allows farmers, students, and small business operators to access AI-powered advice, assistance, and communication through simple text messages. Klenam Tamakloe and his team aspire to create an AI ecosystem designed for African realities, envisioning a world where a child in a remote community can access powerful AI tools, just like those available to users in other parts of the world.