35 m. ago AI Boom’s Environmental Cost Matches New York City Emissions, Study Finds

The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence has generated an environmental footprint in 2025 comparable to that of New York City, according to new research that raises concerns about the climate and water impact of the technology. The study, published Wednesday in the academic journal Patterns, estimates that AI-related activity released up to 80 million tonnes [...]

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46 m. ago AI Brings Preventive Healthcare Into Everyday Life, Says Profmed CEO

South Africa’s healthcare system is under growing pressure, but artificial intelligence is beginning to shift care toward prevention by placing diagnostic and screening tools directly in the hands of consumers, according to Profmed CEO Craig Comrie. Comrie said the healthcare sector has historically focused more on treating illness than preventing it, a gap that AI [...]

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27 h. ago OpenAI in Talks With Amazon Over Potential Investment and AI Chip Partnership

OpenAI is in discussions with Amazon over a potential investment and an agreement to use the company’s artificial intelligence chips, CNBC confirmed on Tuesday. The details remain fluid and subject to change, but the investment could exceed $10 billion, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity because the [...]

Politics

27 h. ago AI Retail Platform Fynd Expands Into South Africa With Surtee Group Partnership

Fynd, an AI-native retail technology platform backed by Reliance Retail Ventures Limited, has officially expanded into South Africa, marking its entry into the African market through a partnership with Surtee Group, one of the country’s established luxury and fashion retailers. The move comes as South Africa’s e-commerce sector continues to grow rapidly. According to Statista, [...]

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27 h. ago AI, Blockchain Platform Aims to Unlock Property Wealth for South Africa’s Unbanked Homeowners

An estimated 90% of South Africans have built their homes incrementally with cash, without access to title deeds, payslips or formal employment, leaving millions excluded from the formal credit system. Until this largely informal property equity is unlocked, South Africa’s economic growth could remain below 1%, according to proponents of a new technology-driven solution. Businessman [...]

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58 h. ago Aterian Taps AI Partner Lithosquare For Copper Exploration in Morocco and Botswana

UK-based junior miner Aterian announced Dec. 9 that it has signed a binding memorandum of understanding with French start-up Lithosquare to launch a joint copper exploration program in Morocco and Botswana. Under the agreement, Aterian will use Lithosquare’s data science and artificial intelligence tools to identify high-potential copper targets, joining a growing number of mining [...]

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58 h. ago AI Search Tools Disrupt Online Recipe Industry, Leaving Food Bloggers Scrambling

When Google rolled out its AI Mode search feature in March, it began offering AI-generated recipes. The results were often flawed. In one widely shared example, the system failed to recognize satire from The Onion and advised users to cook with non-toxic glue. The missteps highlight a growing concern among food bloggers whose recipes are [...]

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59 h. ago AI Investment Boom Faces Growing Doubts as Costs Rise and Returns Lag

Three years after OpenAI ignited global enthusiasm for artificial intelligence with the launch of ChatGPT, investor confidence is showing signs of strain. While funding continues to pour into the sector, doubts are growing about whether current spending levels can deliver sustainable returns. Recent market moves have added to the unease. Nvidia shares have sold off, [...]

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9 d. ago Google.org Invests $2.1 Million To Boost Nigeria’s AI Workforce And Digital Safety

Google.org has announced a $2.1 million investment to support Nigeria’s artificial intelligence sector, with a goal of creating one million digital jobs and expanding the country’s fast-growing tech economy. AI is projected to contribute $15 billion to Nigeria’s economy by 2030. The new funding will support the National AI Strategy through partnerships with local organizations [...]

Events

2 w. ago Discovery Bank Unveils Crypto Trading, AI Security and New Integrated Services in Major Platform Upgrade

Discovery Bank, South Africa’s fastest-growing bank, announced a wide range of new digital features, product updates and partner offers as part of a major platform enhancement that expands its financial services ecosystem. The updates follow earlier improvements introduced this year in financial planning tools, digital security and personalised banking experiences. Among the newest additions are [...]

Politics

2 w. ago UCT’s EthicsLab Invites Scholars to Shape African Perspectives on Technology Ethics

The EthicsLab at the University of Cape Town is inviting scholars, artists, and practitioners to join a growing community that examines the ethical questions surrounding emerging health technologies through African perspectives. Supported by Wellcome as a Research Development Programme, the initiative offers residencies, retreats, webinars, and catalyst grants to help build an intellectual community focused [...]

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2 w. ago Protei Exec Says AI, Network Optimization Key to Sustainable Telecom Growth in Africa

At AfricaCom 2025 in Cape Town, Vladimir Freinkman, vice president of marketing and business development at Protei, discussed sustainable growth, network optimization, artificial intelligence and the role of tier-two vendors in Africa’s telecom market during an interview with TechAfrica News founder Akim Benamara. Balancing Growth, Investment and Revenue Freinkman said operators face a widening gap [...]

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2 w. ago SA Regulators Release First Snapshot of AI Adoption Across Financial Sector

South Africa’s financial regulators have released the country’s first comprehensive look at how artificial intelligence is being used across the financial sector, outlining early adoption trends, investment plans, risks and emerging regulatory needs. The Financial Sector Conduct Authority and the Prudential Authority published the joint report after surveying institutions between October and December 2024. The [...]

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3 w. ago Chinese AI Startup DeepSeek Gains Traction In Africa, Raising Concerns Over Data Privacy And Dependence

Chinese startup DeepSeek caused turbulence in the global AI market earlier this year with its claim that its large language model, R1, was developed at a fraction of the cost of U.S. competitors. The company said it trained the open-source model for $6 million, compared with the roughly $100 million OpenAI invested in training ChatGPT-4. [...]

Politics

3 w. ago UAE Pledges $1 Billion To Expand AI Infrastructure And Services Across Africa

The United Arab Emirates has announced a $1 billion investment to expand artificial intelligence infrastructure and AI-powered services across Africa, a move aimed at supporting countries in meeting their national development goals. Saeed Bin Mubarak Al Hajeri, UAE minister of state, launched the “AI for Development Initiative” on Saturday during the G20 leaders’ summit in [...]

Politics

4 w. ago Nvidia Posts Soaring Revenue As AI Chip Demand Surges, Easing Fears Of An AI Market Bubble

Nvidia has reported stronger-than-expected quarterly results, easing investor concerns about heavy artificial intelligence spending that has unsettled markets. Revenue for the three months to October rose 62 percent to $57 billion, driven largely by demand for the company’s chips used in AI data centres. Sales from that division increased 66 percent to more than $51 [...]

Politics

4 w. ago Survey Finds Half Of Novelists Fear Full Replacement By AI As Income Losses And Copyright Concerns Grow

The novel has endured the industrial revolution, radio, television and the internet. Now it faces a new challenger: artificial intelligence. According to a new survey, 51 percent of novelists fear they will be replaced by AI entirely, even though most do not use the technology themselves. The study, conducted by the University of Cambridge’s Minderoo [...]

Politics

last month Google Commits $2.25 Million To Modernize Africa’s Public Data For An AI

Public data—from census results to administrative records—is essential for addressing pressing global challenges such as food security, climate change, and economic development. For Africa, which has the world’s youngest and fastest-growing population, this data is foundational to building an AI-driven future. Drawing a parallel to the continent’s leap from landlines to mobile technology, Google says [...]

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