Tag: DigitalTransformation

Electricity transformed the world, not simply because it existed, but because of what it made possible. That distinction may prove important as we think about Artificial Intelligence (AI). In 1882, Thomas Edison built the world’s first commercial power station at 255 Pearl Street in Lower Manhattan, New York. The incandescent light bulb was revolutionary. However, the real breakthrough was the system behind it: the generators, cables, meters, and distribution network.

The narrative about Africa’s technological future often relies on the narrow assumption that the continent must “catch up” with global innovation. However, this framing misses a critical point: Africa has never simply consumed technology. We adapt it, reshape it, and increasingly originate it. This is the essence of Africanisation: designing and deploying technology to respond directly to the continent’s cultural nuances, economic realities, and local challenges.

The traditional office social fabric is undergoing a profound psychological shift. Instead of walking down the corridor to bounce ideas off a colleague or venting to a teammate over coffee, workers increasingly turn to Artificial Intelligence (AI). They use it as their primary workplace confidant, sounding board, and creative partner.

With the growing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its integration into corporate systems, a key question arises: can a company be held responsible for misleading statements made by its AI chatbot to a customer? This issue arose in Moffatt vs Air Canada, a case concerning a refund for a bereavement fare. Although a Canadian small-claims tribunal decided the case in 2024, its ruling does not bind South African courts.

Enterprises love to call themselves Application Programming Interface (API)-first. However, almost none are ready for what is about to start calling those APIs. According to Postman's 2025 State of the API Report, 82% of organisations now describe themselves as API-first. It's a comfortable number to cite in a strategy deck. However, that number becomes far less comfortable when we ask what “API-first” was actually built to withstand.

When farmers take a photo of unfamiliar spots on a crop and ask a question on their phone, they’re not thinking about digital systems or models. Instead, they are looking for reassurance, guidance, and something they can act on before the problem spreads. Moments like these are becoming increasingly common as technology becomes a first stop for information and decision-making. This shift extends from the field to the clinic and the classroom. Yet whether that farmer gets a useful answer still often comes down to one simple factor: language.

Predictions about the future of work have become commonplace. Every year brings forecasts about new technologies, changing job roles, and the skills employees will need to remain competitive. But as 2026 has unfolded, many of those predictions have moved beyond theory. They are shaping hiring decisions, influencing business strategy, and redefining what employers expect from their people.

Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) has quickly evolved from a novelty into a regular workplace tool. It helps with tasks such as drafting emails, summarising documents, coding, and data analysis. AI-powered platforms are changing how people work. As more employees use these tools, a less visible trend is emerging: the rise of shadow AI.

In many South African mid-market businesses, the IT team is now expected to operate with the discipline of an enterprise technology function. However, it must do so without the depth of resources that larger organisations can bring to bear. That leaves a small team moving between Microsoft 365 licensing, cloud workloads, user support, backup checks, endpoint protection, email security, connectivity issues, vendor escalations, procurement, compliance requests, and the first questions around AI governance.

As industrial automation becomes increasingly software-driven and AI-enabled, the channel partner's role is undergoing a profound shift. The next generation of partners will be evaluated not on the products they sell, but on their ability to design, integrate, and support outcome-based solutions in complex, connected environments.