Industry News

With a USD 1.60 trillion market cap, the imminent intensification of Amazon’s operations in South Africa will come to shape the practices and standards that characterise and grow the domestic e-commerce landscape

Science fiction meets reality in Tampere (Finland), where digital mining technologies are being tested underground, and new software offers 3D visualizations of mines that have yet to exist.

Many in Africa have little or no access to technology, the Internet, or computers. This limits people from taking advantage of online opportunities for education and employment.

Dell Technologies is expanding its Dell Generative AI Solutions portfolio, offering businesses comprehensive support throughout their generative AI (GenAI) journeys.

Google has unveiled the first cohort for its ‘Google for Startups Accelerator: AI First’ program. The 11 startups, selected from a pool of innovative talent, use cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence to address Africa’s and global challenges.

Adobe on Tuesday said it is rolling out new image-generation technology that can draw inspiration from an uploaded image and match its style, in its latest push to compete with start-ups challenging its core business.

OpenAI, supported by Microsoft (MSFT.O), announced on Wednesday that ChatGPT users will now have the capability to browse the internet. This new update goes beyond the prior limitation of a September 2021 knowledge cutoff. OpenAI, the artificial intelligence startup, shared that the latest browsing feature will grant websites the authority to determine how ChatGPT can interact with them. The company stated on the social media platform X, previously known as Twitter, “Browsing is now available to Plus and Enterprise users, and will be accessible to all users shortly. To enable it, select Browse with Bing in the selector under GPT-4.

First revealed in March 2023, Copilot is now set to launch, marking a significant advancement in user experience for Microsoft users. Microsoft officially introduced Copilot, an AI assistant set to replace Cortana, at its Surface and AI event on Thursday. But its identity is not just in its name; its functionality truly stands out.

South Africa has been grappling with a surge in power outages in 2023 that, according to the latest power availability statistics, has eclipsed the total number of outages experienced over the past decade. This escalating crisis has forced businesses nationwide to explore alternative energy solutions.

Johannesburg-based startup FinanceGPT is using artificial intelligence to make financial analysis and reporting more accessible, with plans to offer services in African languages.

Telecom giant MTN is expanding its Internet of Things (IoT) capabilities in South Africa through a new partnership while addressing electronic waste in Benin.

Pan-African technology company Liquid Intelligent Technologies has launched two new terrestrial fibre links across Africa – connecting Kenya with Ethiopia and linking Zambia to Malawi.

After honing its offering out of the spotlight for a year, Nigerian startup OneLiquidity has emerged from stealth mode to provide infrastructure for Africa’s booming fintech industry.

Technology company, Lenovo, and Ashoka, a global organization dedicated to promoting social entrepreneurship, continue to partner to inspire the next generation of changemakers in South Africa. This collaboration brings together Ashoka’s extensive experience in social innovation and Lenovo’s technological expertise to foster positive change in this diverse region.

In South Africa, traditional marketing channels are witnessing an all-time low in terms of their consumer reach. Call center contact rates have dropped by 20-30% in the past year, a figure that is exacerbated by each stage of loadshedding every time the power cuts. Similarly, SMS response rates have plummeted to a mere 0.1%, with email read rates below 16% and email engagement at a paltry 2%. Clearly, traditional communication channels are no longer effective, marking the end of an era for call centers, emails, and SMS’s as your primary channel of communication.

SAP Africa and Microsoft join forces to bring RISE with SAP to customers globally, including in Africa. RISE with SAP offers a comprehensive package of ERP software, industry best practices, and outcome-focused services. It aids companies in transitioning their core SAP ERP systems to the cloud, harnessing the cloud hosting capabilities of hyper-scalers like Microsoft.

Susu is a Beninese startup helping Africans in the diaspora make informed financial healthcare commitments for their loved ones on the continent. The company provides a combination of healthcare packages and insurance that Africans can finance abroad.

The MTN Foundation has launched the second edition of its MTN Women in Digital Business Challenge, pledging R1 million ($53,600) to empower female digital entrepreneurs in South Africa. The challenge aims to help women grow their tech businesses and make their mark in the male-dominated ICT industry.

Mercedes-Benz is set to revolutionize how drivers interact with their cars by integrating cutting-edge chatbot technology into their vehicles. In a groundbreaking move, the automaker will allow drivers to engage directly from behind the wheel with ChatGPT, the advanced chatbot developed by OpenAI. This marks one of the first instances of using chatbot technology in automobiles and has the potential to transform the future of motor transport.

Machine learning and AI are ushering in novel opportunities. However, as a recent study suggests, these benefits mainly cater to speakers of predominant languages like English and French, such as in products like ChatGPT.

Google has introduced the “Google for Startups Accelerator: AI First” program, which aims to assist African startups seeking to address local challenges through artificial intelligence. This initiative acknowledges the significant impact of AI on a global scale, revolutionizing various industries and expanding the boundaries of what’s achievable.

Retail Capital, a division of TymeBank, is revolutionising the landscape for South African entrepreneurs with ChatSME, a groundbreaking Large Language Model (LLM). This innovative AI model is designed to provide easy access to valuable knowledge and resources, catering to the vibrant SME (small and medium enterprises) community.

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SAQA ID : 242840

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Duration : 3 days