Tag: World Wide Worx

The West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Centre became the epicentre of a small earthquake in January. It showcased automotive technology at CES 2026, the world’s largest consumer tech show. As a result, the space felt less like an exhibition and more like a high-stakes contest for industrial leadership.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is often described as a triumph of machines over human limitations. However, one of the most revealing AI stories from Africa tells a different story. It highlights a victory achieved by people who refused to let their voices disappear from the digital future.

The surge of lower-cost, higher-tech Chinese car brands into South African showrooms has sparked what we can only call “doom and fume”. Doom about shrinking margins, and incensed fuming about uneven competition, has become an almost prevailing narrative among “traditional” manufacturers with a long-established presence in the country. This climate of doom and fume continues to dominate industry conversations.

Artificial intelligence (AI) systems now pass bar exams. They write code. They even mimic empathy. Yet few answer a simpler question: are they helping people live better lives? Put differently, what good is AI if it does not improve human wellbeing? That question now has a practical test. The Flourishing AI Benchmark (FAI) offers a new way to evaluate systems.

Fraud, waste and abuse in South Africa’s private healthcare sector drains the system’s ability to deliver quality care. The issue remains largely unspoken. It does not make headlines in the way political corruption does. However, it is arguably just as damaging. It undermines the affordability and sustainability of medical cover for millions of South Africans.

Most South Africans already run their businesses on WhatsApp. A hair salon takes bookings through voice notes. A courier firm shares delivery updates using photo messages. A restaurant sends out its weekly menu via broadcast. What began as an informal backchannel for orders and service has now become the country’s most entrenched digital business tool. In fact, for many, WhatsApp serves as the foundation of their daily business operations.

South Africa’s financial institutions are rewriting the rules of banking technology. The cloud has become a new balance sheet of innovation. For decades, the country’s banking sector has punched above its weight. For example, it provided electronic banking long before many global peers.

The Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) used to be the rock star of the boardroom. The role determined how a company presented itself to the market. It also carried the authority of being the customer’s voice in an executive team dominated by finance and operations. The death of the CMO is now a growing concern.

For years, LinkedIn carried the aura of a digital name tag. It was present, but it largely stayed out of the spotlight. Now, in South Africa, corporate engagement with LinkedIn has moved beyond routine activity and into strategic intent. The new SA Social Media Landscape Report 2025, we produced, in partnership with brand intelligence company Ornico, reveals a sharp shift.

It has long been known that Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be biased. It can absorb the subconscious belief systems of its programmers. It can also reflect the worldview embedded in the content used to train it.