Overview

Africa’s Talking, in collaboration with Google, presents Module 9 of the Build With AI series: a deep dive into the "hard skills" of professional software engineering.

In this advanced session, we move beyond prototyping to explore the complete lifecycle of deploying full-stack applications. We will blend Google Cloud’s AI services (Gemini, Vertex AI) with Africa’s Talking communication infrastructure (Voice, SMS) to build systems that are not just intelligent, but secure, scalable, and production-ready.

What You Will Learn This module focuses on the architecture required to support multi-channel AI agents.

• Production Architecture: Designing scalable cloud environments on Google Cloud Platform (GCP).

• Security First: Best practices for securing API endpoints, managing API keys, and implementing role-based access.

• DevOps & Observability: Setting up API versioning, automated Cloud Logging, and real-time Monitoring.

• Multi-Channel Integration: Designing the logic for AI agents that switch seamlessly between Voice and SMS channels.

Pre - requisite:

• Basic programming skills (Python, NodeJs and Java)

• Basic understanding of what an AI Agent is (Difference between LLM and AI Agents)

• Learner must be familiar with cloud computing concepts

• Create a developer profile to be able to claim badge

• Set up Google Cloud Console

• Create your Africa's Talking Developer Account to use AT Products

• Join the Slack channel: #at-google-ai-ml

• NB: Google cloud credits will be provided at the workshops
  

TO GET STARTED WITH THE PROGRAM, PLEASE REGISTER AT THE LINK HERE. 

Module 8b

• Useful links

  Deploy, Manage, and Observe ADK Agent on Cloud Run | Google Codelabs

Module Details: Deploy, Manage, and Observe ADK Agent on Cloud Run | Google Codelabs

What it is:

This session walks developers through the complete process of deploying AI agents built with the Agent Development Kit (ADK) onto Google Cloud Run, using Google Codelabs as a guided, hands-on framework. You’ll learn how to package your ADK agent into a containerized application, deploy it as a scalable service, and configure it for real-world accessibility. The session covers deployment best practices, environment configuration, load balancing, and integrating monitoring tools for observability. By the end, you’ll understand how to manage your agent lifecycle, from code to live production, on a fully managed, serverless platform.

Why it matters:

• Security: As you integrate powerful AI models, securing your API keys and endpoints becomes critical to prevent abuse and billing spikes.

• Reliability: Without proper logging and monitoring, you are flying blind when things break.

• Scalability: Real-world apps need to handle traffic spikes without crashing.
  

What you’ll build:

• The Brain: Powered by Google Gemini on Vertex AI.

• The Voice: Connected via Africa’s Talking Voice & SMS APIs.

• The Body: Hosted securely on Google Cloud Run.

• The Nervous System: Integrated with Cloud Logging and Monitoring to track every conversation and error in real-time.

Takeaways:

• Secure Your Stack: Implement best practices for managing API secrets and securing endpoints against unauthorized access.

• Master DevOps: Learn how to deploy containerized applications to the cloud using Google Cloud Run.

• Scale with Confidence: Understand API versioning strategies to update your app without breaking it for users.

• Monitor Everything: Set up automated alerts and dashboards to monitor the health and costs of your AI agent.

• Unify Channels: Create logic that seamlessly hands off tasks between Voice and SMS channels.

Why Attend

• Over $5000 to be won: 3 winners every key city and 1 overall winner from any city

• Hands-On Innovation: Learn by building real-world AI and API-powered projects.

• Portfolio-Ready Work: Complete assignments and a capstone project to showcase your skills.

• Expert Guidance: Access Google Cloud trainers and Africa’s Talking engineers.

• Pan-African Collaboration: Connect with fellow developers from across Sub-Saharan Africa.

• Career Growth: Gain exposure to tools, frameworks, and communities that open new opportunities.

Target Attendees

• Developers across Sub-Saharan Africa passionate about AI and APIs

• Software engineers, backend/frontend developers, and data scientists

• University students and graduates in STEM fields

• Startup founders and entrepreneurs building tech solutions

• Professionals seeking to expand into Generative AI and API-driven innovation

Looking Ahead: Program Timeline: Recorded videos playlist available on respective past sessions. Here

• Kickoff –
  Introduction to program
  Module 1: Google Cloud & Generative AI Fundamentals
  Module 2: Foundations of APIs & Africa’s Talking Core Services

• Week 1 – Virtual Learning
  Module 3: Gemini for End-to-End SDLC + Build an App with Gemini API
  Module 4: Generative AI SDKs & API Integrations (start)

• Week 2 – Virtual Learning
  Module 4: API integrations (continuation)
  Module 5: Advanced Africa’s Talking APIs (start)

• Week 3 – Virtual Learning
  Module 5: Advanced Africa’s Talking APIs (continuation)
  Module 6: Building Generative AI Applications with Specific Frameworks + Assignment

Assignment: Creative Generative AI Applications

• Week 4 – Virtual Learning
  Module 7 (Part 1): Leveraging Google Cloud ML and AI APIs

• Week 5 – Virtual Learning
  Module 7 (Part 2): Leveraging Google Cloud ML and AI APIs (Continuation)

• Week 6 – Virtual + Physical Meetup
  Module 8: Developing & Deploying Agentic Systems (Lab 1, Lab 2, Lab 3, Lab 4, Lab 5) + Assignment
  Mid-program recap + assignment review
  Module 9 Intro: Africa’s Talking Integrated Applications

• Week 7 – Virtual Learning
  Module 9: Africa's Talking Integrated Applications (start)

• Week 8 – Virtual Learning
  Module 9: Africa's Talking Integrated Applications (continuation)

• Week 9 – Virtual Learning
  Module 10: Local and Offline AI Solutions (start)

• Week 10 – Virtual Learning
  Module 10: Local and Offline AI Solutions with labs (continuation)

Be part of a movement where Sub-Saharan Africa’s developers explore, build, and showcase the next generation of Google AI and Africa's Talking technology powered applications.

New to Africa's Talking? Get started here.

Publish on Africa's Talking Marketplace

• Marketplace : Get Call Back as a Service and Publish your plugin/app for our customer.

• Developer Documentation (We welcome feedback)

Gigs:

We would love to reach out to you so that you can build for our customers, please fill out this form with details to ensure we have your details:

GIG/HACK DEVELOPER PORTFOLIO FORM

Join community channels:

Slack:

• Join Africa's Talking slack community here

Please follow our Twitter handle too:

• @AfricasTalking

You can get our videos, recaps, and event interviews on our YouTube channel, subscribe to get updates:

• Africa's Talking YouTube Channel

Africa's Talking community allows developers to learn skills for the modern-day African Developer. We are language and framework agnostic. All developers are welcome. This is where Africa's Talking developers community meets to build, learn and exchange knowledge.

We are helping software developers and businesses to bring their ideas to life through easy-to-use APIs easily.

Would you like to partner with us? Kindly contact the Developer Experience Team.