14 h. 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 [...]

Politics

15 h. ago Workshop in Woodmead Trains African Creators on AI and Digital Twin Tech

A Woodmead-based workshop is equipping African digital creators with practical skills in artificial intelligence and digital twin technology, signalling a shift in how the continent’s creative economy competes on a global stage. The first Digital Twin and AI Creator Enablement Workshop on the continent brought together more than 20 award-winning South African digital creators who [...]

Politics

15 h. ago ADQ, Gates Foundation Launch $40M AI and EdTech Partnership to Boost Learning in Sub

ADQ and the Gates Foundation have announced a four-year, $40 million partnership aimed at expanding the ethical use of artificial intelligence and education technology to improve learning outcomes across sub-Saharan Africa. The initiative, unveiled on the sidelines of Abu Dhabi Finance Week during a visit by Bill Gates to the United Arab Emirates, will combine [...]

Politics

15 h. 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 [...]

Politics

41 h. ago Zambia Convenes Executive AI Briefing to Accelerate Enterprise Adoption in 2025

Zambia has taken a step toward accelerating enterprise-level artificial intelligence adoption following an executive AI briefing convened by the Ministry of Technology and Science in partnership with Pranary. The Executive Artificial Intelligence Briefing, held on Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025, brought together 30 senior decision-makers for a focused discussion on deploying AI at scale in 2025. [...]

Politics

42 h. ago Cassava Technologies, Gebeya Launch AI Tools to Power Digital Creation Across Africa

Pan-African technology group Cassava Technologies has partnered with AI-powered tools provider Gebeya to launch Gebeya Dala, a suite of artificial intelligence tools designed to help Africans create digital content using Cassava’s data centers and infrastructure. According to a statement, the collaboration combines Cassava’s cloud and graphics processing unit infrastructure with Gebeya’s platform to deliver AI [...]

Politics

42 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, [...]

Politics

42 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 [...]

Politics

3 d. 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 [...]

Politics

3 d. 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 [...]

Politics

3 d. 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, [...]

Politics

3 d. ago NICE Launches Locally Hosted AI Customer Experience Platform in South Africa

NICE Ltd. has launched its CXone Mpower customer experience platform on a locally hosted cloud in South Africa, expanding its artificial intelligence footprint on the continent despite recent stock pressure. The Nasdaq-listed company announced on Dec. 10 that the platform is now supported by redundant data centers in Cape Town and Johannesburg. Hosting the system [...]

Economics

3 d. ago DCDT’s Mlindi Mashologu to Open ITWeb AI Summit 2026 With Policy Update

Mlindi Mashologu, deputy director-general for ICT Information Society and Capacity Development at the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies, will deliver the opening keynote address at ITWeb’s AI Summit 2026. Mashologu, who has held his current role since 2020, is expected to provide an update on South Africa’s National AI Policy Framework and explain how [...]

Politics

6 d. ago Libya Launches First AI Youth Club to Build Digital Skills in Bani Walid

Libya has launched its first artificial intelligence Youth Club in the city of Bani Walid, marking a strategic move to equip young people with future-focused digital skills. The initiative was announced by the Ministry of Youth through the Dinar Martyrs Centre for Youth Care and is aimed at providing Libyan youth with practical training in [...]

Events

6 d. ago Morocco Signs Agreement to Build Advanced Technology School in Dakhla

Morocco signed a partnership agreement Saturday to build and equip the National School of Advanced Technologies in Dakhla, strengthening higher education and scientific research in the country’s southern provinces. The project aligns with the royal vision to accelerate development in southern regions and reinforce the role of regional authorities in expanding access to higher education [...]

Politics

8 d. ago Gates Warns AI Valuations Likely to Cool as Competition Intensifies

Bill Gates has cautioned that some of the world’s most highly valued artificial intelligence companies are unlikely to sustain their current worth, even as the technology reshapes major industries. Speaking at Abu Dhabi Finance Week, Gates said the AI sector is “hyper competitive,” and many companies with elevated valuations will not emerge as winners. “AI [...]

Events

8 d. ago South Africa Among Fastest Adopters of Generative AI, OECD and Cisco Study Finds

New research from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development and Cisco shows South Africa is among the world’s fastest adopters of generative artificial intelligence, with 45.4 percent of adults using the technology. The study also highlights generational differences and well-being concerns. According to the research, young adults globally are heavy digital consumers, with those [...]

Politics

8 d. ago South African Tourism Launches Siyanda AI Tool for North American Travelers

South African Tourism has partnered with US-based digital media company Matador Network to launch Siyanda, an artificial intelligence travel chatbot designed to help North American visitors plan trips to South Africa. Built on Matador Network’s GuideGeek platform, Siyanda supports travelers researching visits to South Africa by providing answers to destination questions in real time. Users [...]

Politics

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

9 d. ago South African Newsrooms Adopt AI to Boost Productivity and Strengthen Editorial Standards

The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence in South Africa’s media sector is creating new opportunities for news outlets to improve operations. However, South Africa’s diverse linguistic landscape and uneven digital access require ethical and context-sensitive AI adoption. Feedback from journalists and media organizations indicated that a lack of internal AI policies and limited training opportunities [...]

Politics