<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



Here’s everything to know about Chinese AI company called DeepSeek, which topped the app charts and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2025/01/27/deepseek-panic-heres-why-tech-stocks-are-getting-crushed-as-nasdaq-paces-to-worst-day-of-2025/">rattled</a>&nbsp;global tech stocks Monday after it notched high performance ratings on par with its top U.S. rivals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



The DeepSeek startup is less than two years old—it was founded in 2023 by 40-year-old Chinese entrepreneur Liang Wenfeng—and released its open-source models for download in the United States in early January, where it has since surged to the top of the iPhone download charts, surpassing the app for OpenAI’s ChatGPT.



DeepSeek’s latest product, an advanced reasoning model called R1, has been compared favorably to the best products of OpenAI and Meta while&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-01-27/what-is-deepseek-r1-and-how-does-china-s-ai-model-compare-to-openai-meta" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">appearing</a>&nbsp;to be more efficient, with lower costs to train and develop models and having possibly been made without relying on the most powerful AI accelerators that are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/stock-market-today-dow-sp500-nasdaq-live-01-27-2025/card/what-is-deepseek-and-why-is-it-rattling-tech-stocks--mOeGwTTGQmyUTNPrqaIq" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">harder to buy</a>&nbsp;in China because of U.S. export controls.



The company&#8217;s R1 and V3 models are both ranked in the top 10 on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/the-uc-berkeley-project-that-is-the-ai-industrys-obsession-bc68b3e3?mod=article_inline" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Chatbot Arena</a>, a performance platform hosted by University of California, Berkeley, and the company says it is scoring nearly as well or outpacing rival models in mathematical tasks, general knowledge and question-and-answer performance&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-01-27/what-is-deepseek-r1-and-how-does-china-s-ai-model-compare-to-openai-meta" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">benchmarks</a>.



<a href="https://www.barrons.com/articles/deepseek-stock-market-china-ai-4149ddc0#:~:text=DeepSeek%20said%20it%20had%20spent,Trump%20administration's%20Stargate%20AI%20initiative." rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">DeepSeek said</a>&nbsp;training one of its latest models cost $5.6 million, which would be much less than the $100 million to $1 billion one AI chief executive&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/china-ai-deepseek-chatbot-6ac4ad33?mod=livecoverage_web" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">estimated</a>&nbsp;it costs to build a model last year—though Bernstein analyst Stacy Rasgon later called DeepSeek’s figures highly misleading.



Despite the questions remaining about the true cost and process to build DeepSeek’s products, they still sent the stock market into a panic: Microsoft (down 3.7% as of 11:30 a.m. ET), Tesla (1.3%), Nvidia (15%) and Broadcom (16%) all slipped Monday following a selloff spurred by DeepSeek&#8217;s success, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq was down 3.5%&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2025/01/27/deepseek-panic-heres-why-tech-stocks-are-getting-crushed-as-nasdaq-paces-to-worst-day-of-2025/">on the way</a>&nbsp;to its third-worst day of the last two years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">Crucial Quote</h2>



&#8220;Deepseek R1 is AI&#8217;s Sputnik moment,&#8221; billionaire investor Marc Andressen&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/pmarca/status/1883640142591853011" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;Sunday.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">Big Number</h2>



1.6 million. That&#8217;s how many times the DeepSeek mobile app had been downloaded as of Saturday,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-01-27/what-is-deepseek-r1-and-how-does-china-s-ai-model-compare-to-openai-meta" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Bloomberg</a>&nbsp;reported, the No. 1 app in iPhone stores in Australia, Canada, China, Singapore, the US and the U.K.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-do-i-use-deepseek">How Do I Use Deepseek?</h2>



DeepSeek is free to use on web, app and API but does require users to create an account.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-does-deepseek-compare-to-openai-and-chatgpt">How Does Deepseek Compare To Openai And Chatgpt?</h2>



DeepSeek-R1 is most similar to OpenAI’s o1 model, which costs users $200 per month. Both are large language models with advanced reasoning capabilities, different from shortform question-and-answer chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGTP. R1 and o1 specialize in breaking down requests into a chain of logical &#8220;thoughts&#8221; and examining each one individually. R1 has achieved performance on par with o1 in several benchmarks and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theregister.com/2025/01/26/deepseek_r1_ai_cot/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">reportedly</a>&nbsp;exceeded its performance in the MATH-500 test. Chatbot Arena currently ranks R1 as tied for the third-best AI model in existence, with o1 coming in fourth.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-is-deepseek-r1-open-source">Is Deepseek-R1 Open Source?</h2>



Yes. DeepSeek-R1 is available for anyone to access, use, study, modify and share, and is not restricted by proprietary licenses.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-who-owns-deepseek">Who Owns Deepseek?</h2>



DeepSeek operates independently but is solely funded by High-Flyer, an $8 billion hedge fund also founded by Wenfeng. The company released its first product in November 2023, a model designed for coding tasks, and its subsequent releases, all notable for their low costs, forced&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/janakirammsv/2025/01/26/all-about-deepseekthe-chinese-ai-startup-challenging-the-us-big-tech/">other Chinese tech giants</a>&nbsp;to lower their AI model prices to remain competitive. In an&nbsp;<a href="https://thechinaacademy.org/interview-with-deepseek-founder-were-done-following-its-time-to-lead/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">interview</a>&nbsp;last year, Wenfeng said the company doesn&#8217;t aim to make excessive profit and prices its products only slightly above their costs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-is-deepseek-really-that-cheap">Is Deepseek Really That Cheap?</h2>



Not everyone is buying the claims that DeepSeek made R1 on a shoestring budget and without the help of American-made AI chips. Scale AI CEO&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/what-is-deepseek-why-is-it-disrupting-ai-sector-2025-01-27/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Alexandr Wang</a>&nbsp;told CNBC on Thursday (without evidence) DeepSeek built its product using roughly 50,000 Nvidia H100 chips it can’t mention because it would violate U.S. export controls that ban the sale of such chips to Chinese companies. Billionaire Elon Musk supported the theory and said it was &#8220;<a href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1883761141647901083" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">obviously</a>&#8221; true in a post on X. Rasgon expressed similar thoughts in a note Monday, writing that DeepSeek did not quantify the resources it used to develop the R1 model in its reports and that while &#8220;the models look fantastic&#8230; we don&#8217;t think they are miracles.&#8221; He also said the $5 million cost estimate may accurately represent what DeepSeek paid to rent certain infrastructure for training its models, but excludes the prior research, experiments, algorithms, data and costs associated with building out its products.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-watch-for">What To Watch For</h2>



How big of a hit Nvidia, the maker of highly sought-after artificial intelligence chips, takes Monday. The company is tracking toward an 11%, or $400 billion, loss, which would be the biggest single-day value loss ever for any company. That record is already held by Nvidia, which dropped almost 10%&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2024/09/04/nvidia-slide-wipes-10-billion-from-ceo-jensen-huangs-fortune-as-selloff-continues-after-hours/#:~:text=On%20Tuesday%2C%20Nvidia's%20share%20price,part%20of%20an%20antitrust%20probe.">in September</a>&nbsp;to lose $280 billion in market value.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



China and the U.S. are the major players in the artificial intelligence arms race that seemed to be led primarily by American firms OpenAI (backed by Microsoft), Meta and Alphabet. Last week, President Donald Trump backed OpenAI’s $500 billion <a href="http://openai.com/index/announcing-the-stargate-project/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stargate</a> infrastructure plan to outpace its peers and, in announcing his support, specifically <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-announces-private-sector-ai-infrastructure-investment/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">spoke</a> to the importance of U.S. dominance over China in the AI space. Artificial intelligence is largely powered by high-tech and high-dollar semiconductor chips that provide the processing power needed to perform complex calculations and handle large amounts of data efficiently. And while not all of the biggest semiconductor chip makers are American, many—including Nvidia, Intel and Broadcom—are designed in the United States. In 2022, the U.S. <a href="https://www.csis.org/analysis/updated-october-7-semiconductor-export-controls" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">began limiting</a> semiconductor exports to China in an attempt to stymie the country’s ability to advance AI for military applications or other national security threats.

DeepSeek Shakes Up Stocks as Traders Question US Tech Valuations

What Is DeepSeek? New Chinese AI Startup Rivals OpenAI—And Claims It’s Far Cheaper

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



Meta will rapidly ramp up its spending in 2025 as part of its artificial intelligence push, according to its centibillionaire CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced Friday, as the battle between Meta and its generative AI competitors including OpenAI and Elon Musk’s xAI comes to the forefront this week with President Donald Trump’s announcement of the $500 billion&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2025/01/22/musk-is-bashing-trumps-new-stargate-ai-initiative-with-openai-and-oracle-heres-why/">“Stargate”</a>&nbsp;joint venture with OpenAI.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



“This will be a defining year for AI,” Zuckerberg&nbsp;<a href="https://www.threads.net/@zuck/post/DFNf73PJxOQ" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;on the company’s Threads social media site, continuing with updates and predictions for Meta’s AI push in 2025.



Perhaps Zuckerberg’s biggest revelation Friday was his guidance for $60 billion to $65 billion in capital expenditures for Meta in 2025.



That’s well above consensus analyst forecasts of $51 billion in capital expenditures this year, according to FactSet, and Zuckerberg’s median projected capex of $62.5 billion would be 63% above Meta’s $38.4 billion in projected 2024 capex and 129% above its $27.3 billion in 2023 capex.



Meta will expand its “AI teams significantly” as part of its increased spending, declared Zuckerberg.



The billionaire also predicted Meta’s Llama 4 large-language model “will become the leading state of the art” AI model and it will end 2025 with more than 1.3 million graphics processing units, the highly coveted Nvidia-designed processors powering generative AI programs including Meta AI, xAI’s Grok and OpenAI’s ChatGPT.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-meta-stock-rises">Meta Stock Rises</h2>



After initially declining about 1% premarket following Zuckerberg’s announcement, shares of Meta rallied Friday, advancing as much as 1.6% shortly after market open before settling into a 0.9% gain by midmorning. Meta stock scored a record intraday share price of $646.90 and all-time high market value of more than $1.6 trillion. Meta shares are up more than 8% year-to-date.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



Zuckerberg’s 2025 outlook comes during a whirlwind week for generative AI after Trump capped his first full day in office announcing a $500 billion joint venture designed to build out the data center infrastructure to power OpenAI’s technology. Stargate was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2025/01/22/musk-is-bashing-trumps-new-stargate-ai-initiative-with-openai-and-oracle-heres-why/">considered</a>&nbsp;a win for OpenAI in its battle against the likes of xAI, Meta and Amazon-backed Anthropic to build out the best artificial general intelligence model, and the project highlighted a very public feud between Musk and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman as Trump’s close ally Musk apparently&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/23/tech/elon-musk-trump-ai-sam-altman/index.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">undercut</a>&nbsp;the president. Meta’s push beyond social media dates back to its 2021 name change from Facebook to Meta. Wall Street initially revolted at the company’s billions of dollars in advanced tech research, as Meta stock crashed 64% in 2022, before improving financial performance and a broader investor rush into all things AI bolstered the stock’s turnaround. Since Trump won a second term in November, Zuckerberg has overseen a major culture shift at his company, ending its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2025/01/07/meta-ditches-fact-checks-for-x-style-community-notes-zuckerberg-says-it-will-restore-free-expression/">fact checking</a>&nbsp;and diversity, equity and exclusion&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/10/tech/meta-ends-dei-programs/index.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">(DEI)</a>&nbsp;programs as Zuckerberg&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/gemmaallen/2025/01/19/mark-zuckerbergs-masculine-energy-is-techs-power-play-laid-bare/">decried</a>&nbsp;the company’s culture as losing its “masculine energy.” Meta remains an advertising company on paper, with 98% of revenue in its most recent quarter coming from social media ads.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forbes-valuations">Forbes Valuations</h2>



Zuckerberg is the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/real-time-billionaires/#3c20abab3d78">fourth-richest</a>&nbsp;person in the world with a $222 billion net worth, trailing only fellow American technology moguls in Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Amazon chairman Jeff Bezos and Oracle chairman Larry Ellison. Zuckerberg owns about 13% of Meta, a stake worth about $200 billion.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-watch-for">What To Watch For</h2>



Meta will report financial results from 2024’s fourth quarter Wednesday afternoon. Consensus estimates call for $6.75 earnings per share and $47 billion in revenue, which would both be quarterly records.

Key Speakers At The Meta Connect Event

Meta Will Spend Record $60 Billion On AI This Year, Zuckerberg Says—After Trump Announces Stargate Deal With OpenAI

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



OpenAI unveiled its latest artificial intelligence tool Thursday, announcing the release of “Operator,” an assistant designed to carry out a wide variety of web tasks that will first be made available for ChatGPT Pro users.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



OpenAI&nbsp;<a href="https://openai.com/index/computer-using-agent/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">described</a>&nbsp;Operator as “an agent that can go to the web to perform tasks for you,” saying it is capable of navigating web pages and interacting with the buttons and menus people see on the websites they visit.



The AI tool can complete a range of tasks including online grocery orders, ticket purchases, refund calculations, lecture downloads and combining PDFs.



OpenAI noted Operator may make mistakes with some queries and is not fully autonomous, as users may need to input information manually in some cases (e.g. logging in with usernames and passwords).



Operator also asks users for confirmation before completing tasks like sending an email or completing an order.



OpenAI said Operator cannot carry out harmful or illegal tasks, and is barred from accessing “preemptively blocked” websites like gambling, adult entertainment and drug and gun retailers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-who-can-use-openai-s-operator">Who Can Use Openai’s Operator?</h2>



As of Thursday, Operator is only available to users on the ChatGPT Pro plan, which costs $200 a month, though OpenAI said it plans to expand the tool to other subscription plans including ChatGPT Plus, ChatGPT Team and ChatGPT Enterprise.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-does-operator-collect-user-data">Does Operator Collect User Data?</h2>



Yes, like ChatGPT, OpenAI uses conversations to train its AI models. However, users can&nbsp;<a href="https://help.openai.com/en/articles/7730893-data-controls-faq" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">opt out</a>&nbsp;of the training data gathered by Operator by turning off ChatGPT’s “improve the model for everyone” setting, which will stop new conversations from being used for AI model training.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



Operator is one of OpenAI’s steps toward artificial general intelligence, which is defined as the “hypothetical intelligence of a machine that possesses the ability to understand or learn any intellectual task that a human being can,” according to Google, one of OpenAI’s largest competitors in the AI market. The AI race between OpenAI and other players like the Google-funded Anthropic and Elon Musk’s xAI heated up quickly this year, as OpenAI—which partners with Microsoft—announced its involvement in Stargate, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2025/01/21/oracle-stock-surges-ahead-of-500-billion-stargate-openai-trump-deal/">$500 billion AI infrastructure deal</a>&nbsp;with Nvidia. Musk criticized the partnership this week, questioning its practicality and its ability to raise enough money to carry out its goals of creating American jobs and building large data centers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">Further Reading</h2>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2025/01/23/microsofts-satya-nadella-swipes-at-stargate-ai-venture-alongside-musk-despite-openai-backing/">Microsoft’s Satya Nadella Swipes At ‘Stargate’ AI Venture Alongside Musk—Despite OpenAI Backing</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2025/01/22/musk-is-bashing-trumps-new-stargate-ai-initiative-with-openai-and-oracle-heres-why/">Musk Bashes Trump’s New Stargate AI Initiative With OpenAI And Oracle As ‘Fake’—Here’s Why</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2025/01/21/oracle-stock-surges-ahead-of-500-billion-stargate-openai-trump-deal/">Oracle Stock Surges On $500 Billion ‘Stargate’ OpenAI-Trump Deal</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)

In this photo illustration a Open AI logo is displayed on a

OpenAI’s ‘Operator’: What We Know About New AI Assistant Capable Of Ordering Groceries, Making Reservations

Africa’s next wave of innovation will likely emerge not from Lagos or Nairobi but from Kigali, Dakar, or Tunis — offering global investors the chance to discover untapped potential in the continent’s diverse and rapidly-evolving markets.



Late last year, Penelope Terranova posted a call to action on LinkedIn. Her post wasn’t just another entry in the digital ether; it was a rallying cry to experts. She sought professionals skilled in accounting, legal, and business growth to help transform Africa’s overlooked startup ecosystems. The post, which listed 18 priority countries — excluding the continent&#8217;s ‘Big 4’ of Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya, and South Africa — sparked a reaction.



One comment from a Nigerian LinkedIn user encapsulated a common sentiment: &#8220;Coming to Africa and leaving out Africa’s most populous nation and biggest economy, which is Nigeria, is very strange.&#8221;



Terranova responded with a measured explanation. &#8220;The Big 4 capture over 80% of all investment on the continent,&#8221; she wrote. &#8220;That is why they are not in our priority of countries to invest in.&#8221;



Her reasoning was clear: Africa’s startup landscape is evolving, but much of the attention — and funding — remains concentrated in a handful of countries.



Initiatives are now on the rise with a mission to bridge that gap, focusing on regions often ignored by mainstream investors.



The Shift To Emerging Markets



This new approach reflects a broader trend. In 2024, startup funding across Africa dropped by 25%, down to $2.2 billion. However, beneath the surface of this contraction, new markets were emerging as hotbeds of innovation.



Ghana and Tanzania led the charge outside the Big 4, securing 26 deals each and raising $67 million and $53 million, respectively.



Senegal and the Ivory Coast, bolstered by regional trade integration and supportive policies, competed for leadership in Francophone West Africa.



In North Africa, the Tunisian Startup Act continued to bear fruit, making the country a leader in deep tech, spanning AI, biotech, and cloud computing, which show promise for global adoption.



<div class="wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Emmanuel-Adegboye-Image-supplied-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-64421 size-full" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Emmanuel-Adegboye-Image-supplied-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Emmanuel-Adegboye-Image-supplied-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Emmanuel-Adegboye-Image-supplied-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Emmanuel-Adegboye-Image-supplied-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Emmanuel-Adegboye-Image-supplied-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
 &#8220;These regions have an abundance of technical talent, a low cost of living, and proximity to major markets,&#8221;- Emmanuel Adegboye. 
</blockquote>
</div></div>



Emmanuel Adegboye, Head of Madica, a structured investment program for African pre-seed stage companies, highlights the unique advantages of North African markets like Tunisia. &#8220;These regions have an abundance of technical talent, a low cost of living, and proximity to major markets,&#8221; Adegboye notes to FORBES AFRICA.



Morocco, with its robust research and development (R&amp;D) infrastructure and proximity to European markets, remained a magnet for deal activity.



Meanwhile, in East Africa, Rwanda’s innovation-friendly policies and Uganda’s steady investment attraction turned them into rising stars.



Terranova shares with FORBES AFRICA: “Sectorally, fintech remains the clear leader and is likely to remain so, even in untapped markets, as we see the rapid expansion of digital payments, lending platforms, and financial inclusion initiatives. However, other sectors such as agritech, healthtech and edtech are advancing quickly, addressing Africa’s pressing challenges of affordable and scalable solutions in those industries, with AI as a common thread driving innovation across these sectors.’’



Untapped Potential In Underserved Regions



Terranova’s team at Digital Africa focuses on pre-seed and seed-stage startups, the most vulnerable phases in a company’s journey. Their model combines funding with robust support systems: mentorship, tools, and networking opportunities tailored to the unique challenges of operating in underserved markets. In 2024, their investment in media startup Makifaa reportedly marked the only recorded startup deal in Togo.



The impact of this strategy is two-fold. It fosters localized growth, reducing dependency on the Big 4, while also presenting new opportunities for global investors.



“Several countries shine as bright spots for investment,’’ Terranova tells FORBES AFRICA. “Countries possess varying levels of the essential ‘ingredients’ for success, which can enhance or limit the chances of local startups to thrive – such as the quality of the infrastructure, the ease of doing business, the availability of capital, the market depth, or the level of education and availability of talent.’’



Catalyzing Inclusive Innovation



For Adegboye, the approach goes beyond financial investment. “It requires building the ecosystem—strengthening local leaders, providing patient capital, and offering guidance on governance and scalability. This model ensures the long-term sustainability of startups, even in the most challenging markets.’’



Inclusivity is at the heart of Digital Africa’s mission. Gender diversity is a key metric; 50% of its portfolio consists of gender-diverse teams. The Talent4Startups initiative has trained tech professionals, bridging the talent gap for startups. “As a subsidiary of Proparco within the AFD Group and in collaboration with 60+ Startup Support Organizations across the continent, we amplify our reach, including co-investment opportunities, aligning with both financial sustainability and our mission to propel African startups,’’ Terranova explains.



The future of African startups lies not in a few dominant markets but in the collective rise of many. Channeling resources to underserved regions, promoting inclusivity, and investing in early-stage ventures, initiatives are reshaping the narrative.

Businessman working analysis business information.

The Rising Stars In Africa’s Evolving Startup Landscape

AI on smartphones is redefining how we interact with technology, from quicker search with voice to smarter photo edits and predicting daily needs before we realize them. Plus, with AI’s pattern-learning, a more personalized user experience.



Samsung first introduced AI to the smartphone with the S24 line-up early in 2024, followed by its Z Foldable range mid-year. Subsequently, brands like Apple, Honor, Oppo and Xiaomi have all introduced some level of AI on its devices.



Androids share similar features, powered by Google AI, such as Gemini – a rival to ChatGPT; Circle to Search; Magic Eraser; Photomojis; and protection against spam and scam calls.



Other features per manufacturer include the ability to summarize notes, create bullet points, transcribe audio and turn it into notes, translate text into multiple languages, summarize web articles to bullet points, etc.



Some devices can compose emails, messages, and social media posts using generative AI, all natively. You just explain the message you want to convey and select different tones, such as professional, casual, friendly, and so on, to get the desired results.



A feature worth noting is Circle to Search, an intuitive way to search for anything you see online, even by pausing a video. You simply long-press the home button, circle what’s on your screen, and receive immediate Google results, with follow-up queries.



Apple also offers AI features, but was late to the party when Apple Intelligence rolled out to more English-speaking markets in December 2024, including South Africa, after its U.S. launch at the end of October.



It helps you write; generate images by description with Image Playground or custom emojis; clean up photos by removing unwanted objects; and search intuitively with Siri, which uses ChatGPT when it can’t answer, but asks first if you want ChatGPT to fulfil the request.



You can already use the ChatGPT standalone app, but Apple gives you another layer of privacy when using it through Private Cloud Compute, which deletes your data after the request, whereas ChatGPT uses all your inputs to further train its AI.



AI’s global growth, but Africa’s smartphone decline



AI is revolutionizing industries, with companies and investors pouring billions into research and development across industries like healthcare, finance, entertainment, and consumer technology.



According to a TechCrunch article, the generative AI bubble did not burst in 2024. It reports that investments in generative AI worldwide raised $56 billion from VCs in 2024, from 885 deals. The data was compiled by financial tracker PitchBook for TechCrunch.



That figure is a new record for the segment, when compared to 2023’s total investment of $29.1 billion from 691 deals, it says.



According to the International Data Corporation (IDC)’s five-year forecast for GenAI-capable smartphones, it predicted shipments to reach 234.2 million for 2024, up 363.6% from 50.5 million in 2023, and projects 912 million in 2028.



The IDC predicted total smartphone shipments to grow 5.8% to 1.23 billion units in 2024, up from its previous forecast of 4% growth to 1.21 billion units.



While total and GenAI shipments for the year 2024 is yet to be released, data from research firm Canalys reveals that Africa’s smartphone market grew by 3% year-on-year in Q3 for 2024, reaching 18.4 million units, which it says reflects resilience amid a complex economic landscape.



“South Africa, after six quarters of double-digit growth, saw a sharp 10% decline in shipments as economic uncertainties dampened consumer spending, despite easing inflation and interest rate cuts,” it said.



In the same quarter, Kenya’s shipments also dropped by 10%, whereas Nigeria experienced a 1% growth. North African countries like Egypt saw a 34% growth, but Morocco experienced a 24% decline.



Manish Pravinkumar, Senior Analyst at Canalys for the Middle East and Africa, says the future of Africa’s smartphone market holds immense potential, but significant hurdles remain.



“Feature phones maintained a 55% share of total shipments as of Q3 2024, limiting smartphone expansion. High device taxes continue to hinder growth, posing a dilemma for policymakers between immediate revenue needs and the long-term benefits of broader smartphone adoption,” says Pravinkumar.



“Enhanced smartphone accessibility could drive the development of a robust digital economy, generating sustainable tax revenues over time. Despite these barriers, growing demand for affordable devices, expanding 4G network coverage and innovative financing models, are expected to sustain growth.”



Canalys forecasts a 1% compound annual growth rate for Africa from 2024 to 2028, with 4G remaining the primary driver of new mobile subscriptions over the next five years.



The global race for AI may have started, but Africa is lagging behind.

The Power of AI. Transforming Industries and Customer Service. A Look into the Future. Yellow AI icon processing texts and commands on smart phone. 3D render

AI Boosts Smartphones Globally, But Why Africa Faces Challenges

Generative AI has revolutionized content creation, from narratives to images. Central to many of these models is maximum likelihood estimation (MLE), which allows systems to learn from large datasets by finding patterns that maximize the probability of producing outputs that resemble the data. While effective in generating realistic content, MLE struggles when tasked with rare or underrepresented information.



This limitation became clear in a recent interaction I had with ChatGPT. When asked, “Who is Tshianeo Marwala?” the AI responded, “Tshianeo Marwala is the wife of Professor Tshilidzi Marwala.” However, Tshianeo Marwala is my grandmother, not my spouse. This mistake occurred because MLE- based systems prioritize statistically common relationships — in this case, public figures are more frequently associated with spouses rather than grandparents.



MLE’s reliance on frequent patterns introduces significant challenges when dealing with uncommon data, and this issue is compounded by AI systems’ dependence on centralized sources like Wikipedia. While a valuable resource, Wikipedia’s gaps in coverage, particularly around marginalized groups and global perspectives, restrict the diversity of information AI systems can learn from. This reliance on concentrated sources exacerbates biases, limiting AI’s ability to represent underrepresented voices accurately.



MLE works by selecting parameters that maximize the likelihood of observed data. It is highly effective when dealing with frequent data patterns but less so when dealing with rare or complex relationships. For example, generative AI trained on datasets that frequently discuss public figures and their spouses will naturally associate these roles more often than other family connections. Our 2000 paper on Detection and Classification of Faults Using Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Approaches showed that while MLE works effectively with frequent, well-defined data, it faces challenges in rare cases. Similarly, in generative AI, MLE handles common information well but tends to make errors with rare or less frequent data.



MLE can also stifle innovation by focusing on the most common patterns, sidelining rare ideas that could lead to breakthroughs. In fields where creativity and uniqueness are essential — such as product design and content creation — this narrowing effect could lead to homogenization rather than diversity. When AI systems converge too much on common patterns, they fail to explore the fringes of probability distributions where novel ideas often reside.



When AI systems rely on data from centralized platforms like Wikipedia or mainstream news outlets, they reflect the biases of these sources. Generative AI will excel at reproducing dominant perspectives but struggle to represent underrepresented or niche knowledge, such as indigenous cultures or less-documented traditions.



This systemic bias limits the AI’s ability to reflect the full spectrum of human experience accurately.



In my grandmother’s case, ChatGPT’s error highlights a broader challenge in AI’s ability to handle complex, less-represented relationships. If a system is trained predominantly on data that overrepresents certain groups or patterns, it will likely misinterpret rare information, perpetuating existing biases.



Beyond limiting diversity, MLE can amplify societal biases present in training data. AI models will reinforce these patterns if a dataset disproportionately represents certain genders, ethnicities, or regions.



To overcome these limitations, we must develop generative AI systems that synthesize information from diverse sources rather than rely on a few centralized platforms. This would enable AI to capture inclusive insights better and improve the accuracy of underrepresented data.



Generative AI must also continually adapt to new information, ensuring its output reflects the latest knowledge. As data generation accelerates, AI systems must effectively filter, assess, and integrate new information. By doing so, AI models can remain relevant, nuanced, and reflective of evolving contexts.



Researchers are exploring alternatives to MLE to address these challenges. One promising approach is reinforcement learning, which allows AI to learn through feedback and adjust based on incentives, improving accuracy and diversity. This method, though not without challenges, can help ensure that rare data is better represented. Another solution is data augmentation, where the training data is enriched with synthetic or curated examples of underrepresented information. This technique helps AI systems learn from a more diverse set of inputs, resulting in more accurate outputs.



Collaboration between AI developers and experts in underrepresented fields is also critical. Such interdisciplinary partnerships ensure that AI systems are not solely reliant on statistical likelihood but incorporate a broader range of knowledge and experiences. In conclusion, while MLE has played a vital role in generative AI, it has notable limitations. Addressing them is essential for ensuring AI systems are fair, inclusive, and accurate. Moving beyond MLE requires both technical innovation and a commitment to diversity. By designing AI systems that synthesize knowledge from distributed sources and continuously update with new information, we can create more adaptive models that are representative of the full breadth of human knowledge and experience.

Business people and engineers studying artificial intelligence brain

Expert-Speak: Not All Perfect (Yet)/The Limitations Of Representing Rare Information In Generative AI

Ads for apps that use AI to create fake videos of people kissing anyone they want are flooding social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram.



Meta and TikTok&nbsp;have run thousands of ads for apps that use AI to generate fake kissing videos of people, allowing users to upload photos of any two people and let AI convert them into a video of them kissing. The apps are being marketed as tools that would allow you to instantly “kiss anyone you want”— no consent required.



Similar in concept to “<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2024/04/17/google-hosted-over-100-youtube-videos-promoting-ai-deepfake-porn/">AI nudifier</a>” apps that produce nonconsensual deepfake pornography, these AI kissing apps create believable videos of people doing something they didn’t do. And the ease at which they do it is a concerning habitualization of deepfake imagery.



While the ads are not sexually explicit like the deluge of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/rashishrivastava/2023/05/11/reddit-ai-generated-porn/">AI-generated pornographic content</a>&nbsp;that has engulfed social media platforms like Instagram, Reddit and YouTube, they can be equally dangerous, Haley McNamara, an executive at the National Center for Sexual Exploitation told&nbsp;Forbes.



“It does not have to be explicit to be exploitative,” McNamara said. “If it&#8217;s crossing boundaries to do something offline to someone without their consent, kissing, undressing, et cetera, then it&#8217;s also crossing boundaries to do that online.”



Meta has displayed over 2,500 ads for “AI kissing” apps across Instagram and Facebook, a&nbsp;Forbes&nbsp;review found. About 1,000 are currently active. TikTok has shown about 1,000 ads to millions of users in European countries, according to its ad library. (TikTok’s ad library doesn&#8217;t include ads shown to its U.S.-based users) Most of these ads depict celebrities like Scarlett Johansson, Emma Watson and Gal Gadot kissing one another. Others show videos of random people kissing, touting that AI could let you “kiss your ex” and “kiss your crush.&#8221; It’s unclear whether the people in videos are real or generated by AI. Johansson, Watson and Gadot did not respond to requests for comment.



Meta is also promoting “AI hugging” apps, ads for which show AI-generated videos of children hugging cartoon characters like Dora the Explorer, Mickey Mouse and Tom and Jerry. Some, like a video showing a young girl hugging an older man, promise parents that AI-powered apps could allow their children to “hug grandparents they never met.” The social media giant has run about 1,200 AI hugging app ads, a&nbsp;Forbes&nbsp;search found. Over 300 are still live.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
“This trend is normalizing exploitative deepfakes and taking nonconsensual participation in intimate or sexualized images as a joke.”Haley McNamara, executive at the National Center On Sexual Exploitation.
</blockquote>



AI-generated videos of people kissing and hugging are already circulating across social media. A video depicting Taylor Swift hugging Kim Jong Un has about 30 million views on Instagram. In late December, a deepfake video of Elon Musk and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni kissing went viral on X.



Meta spokesperson Daniel Roberts told&nbsp;Forbes&nbsp;that these “AI kissing” ads do not violate the company’s policies. While nudity, sexually explicit and sexually suggestive content are against Meta’s&nbsp;<a href="https://transparency.meta.com/policies/ad-standards/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">advertising&nbsp;</a>standards and Meta does not permit ads that “display, advocate for, or coordinate sexual acts with non-consenting parties,” videos of kissing and hugging are permitted.



After being contacted by&nbsp;Forbes,&nbsp;TikTok removed the ads for violating its policies. The video sharing platform requires advertisers to get consent from public or private figures represented in their ads, even if the ads are AI-generated, TikTok spokesperson Ariane de Selliers told&nbsp;Forbes.



The companies behind these video generators appear to be based outside the United States in countries like the United Arab Emirates, Italy and China, according to their websites. The apps are available for free on Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store and already have millions of downloads. The “AI kissing” feature is a part of a broader suite of AI-based photo editing capabilities across the apps, like touching up old photos, turning still images into videos and predicting what two people’s future babies would look like. Apple and Google did not respond to comment requests.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
“It was incredibly creepy to encounter.”Alice Siregar, AI analyst and social media user.
</blockquote>



The spread of AI kissing apps, boosted by social media’s virality, illustrate a troubling mainstreaming of deepfakes in the age of generative AI. Use of these seemingly harmless apps could open the door to tools that could create more graphic imagery like deepfake porn and other types of image-based sexual abuse, McNamara said. “It&#8217;s just an absolute Pandora&#8217;s box,” she said.



“This trend is normalizing exploitative deepfakes and taking nonconsensual participation in intimate or sexualized images as a joke,” she said. “It&#8217;s the kind of thing that is easy to trivialize when you think about other people, but again, if you think about someone in your own sphere making images like this of yourself, someone who you wouldn&#8217;t want having images, I think everyone can recognize that that is a violation.”



That’s especially concerning when illegal AI-generated child sexual abuse material (CSAM) is on an unprecedented&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexandralevine/2024/04/15/ai-is-creating-an-influx-of-child-sex-abuse-images-ncmec-data/">rise</a>. Over the last two years, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (<a href="https://www.missingkids.org/blog/2024/the-growing-concerns-of-generative-ai-and-child-sexual-exploitation" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">NCMEC</a>) has received over 7,000 reports of generative AI-related child exploitation material. In one&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2024/08/30/pedophile-filmed-kids-at-disney-world-to-make-ai-child-abuse-images-cops-say/">case</a>, a pedophile allegedly filmed children at Disneyland and used popular AI tool Stable Diffusion to produce thousands of illegal images of them. And with unrestricted access to AI image generators, teenage high school students in multiple&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/cyrusfarivar/2024/03/13/teen-boys-deepfaked-her-daughter-then-the-school-made-it-worse-one-mom-says/">instances</a>&nbsp;have created deepfake nude imagery of their underage classmates, some resulting in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/cyrusfarivar/2024/12/11/almost-half-the-girls-at-this-school-were-targets-of-ai-porn-their-ex-classmates-have-now-been-indicted/">criminal charges</a>. Meta has also struggled to police ads for such AI “nudifying” sites, one of which has seen 90 percent of its traffic coming from Instagram and Facebook, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://fakedup.substack.com/p/ai-nudifiers-make-a-mockery-of-metas-moderation?ref=404media.co" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Faked Up</a>&nbsp;newsletter.



People who have encountered the AI kissing ads while scrolling through social media say they find them&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/TikTokCringe/comments/1fejz9m/this_ad_i_saw_today_may_be_one_of_the_creepiest/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">disturbing</a>. In December, Alice Siregar started seeing an uptick in ads for AI kissing apps on TikTok. An AI analyst at a tech consulting firm herself, she was dismayed to see the technology being used in a “deeply unethical” way.



“It was incredibly creepy to encounter,” she said.

Man and robot love

AI Kissing Apps Are Taking Deepfakes Mainstream

Cyber security is what nations and organizations need to be very wary of in 2025.



According to the recent World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Cybersecurity Outlook, the intricacies of cyberspace are complex and challenging, owing to rapid technological advancements, the growing sophistication of cybercriminals and deeply-interconnected supply chains.



“Collaboration between public and private sector stakeholders is paramount to secure the benefits of digitalization for all,” Jeremy Jurgens, Managing Director, WEF, said in a statement.



According to the report, 54% of large organizations identify supply chain interdependencies as the greatest barrier to achieving cyber resilience. Furthermore, the “prevailing turmoil” has affected the perception of risks. One in three CEOs cited in the report cyber espionage and loss of sensitive information and intellectual property theft as their main concerns.



“45% of cyber leaders are concerned about disruption of operations and business processes,” the report reads.



As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to be at the forefront of innovation, the report revealed that to ensure cyber resilience, there needs to be rapid implementation of the necessary security safeguards.



“While 66% of organizations expect AI to have a major impact on cybersecurity in 2025, only 37% report having processes in place to assess the security of AI tools before deployment.”



Skills development needs to be at the forefront of organizations, according to the report, as the cyber skills gap in 2024 was only at 8%. According to WEF, two in three organizations lack the essential talent and skills to meet their security requirements; only 14% of organizations are confident that they have the people and skills they need today.



Paolo Dal Cin, Global Lead, Accenture Security, said in the statement that cybersecurity threats are more complex and unpredictable than ever and can directly impact an organization’s financial stability.



“The disruptive force of AI, coupled with supply chain vulnerabilities and geopolitical tensions, calls for a more proactive and collaborative approach to ensure a strong cyber resilient posture across all industries. C-suite leaders must adopt a security-first mindset from the outset to confidently navigate these challenges with cybersecurity as an enabler that keeps our businesses and organizations resilient,” Dal Cin said.

Businesspeople in futuristic virtual reality environment

New Report Reveals The Landscape Of Cybersecurity In 2025

In August 2024, the United States (U.S.) hiked tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) to 100% while the European Union (E.U.) increased tariffs by up to 45.3% in October 2024. The EU’s tariffs differ by manufacturer between 7.8% to 35.3%, over its standard 10% import duty.



Futurist and business strategist Dr Craig Wing tells FORBES AFRICA that the decision by the U.S. and E.U. to impose tariffs on Chinese EVs is a complex issue with far-reaching implications, driven by protectionist policies and the desire to protect domestic markets from competition from Chinese EV manufacturers.



“While this may seem like a simple strategy to protect local economies, this move also creates new pathways and opportunities, and has several important implications for emerging markets like those in Africa,” says Wing.


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="731" height="1024" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Dr-Craig-Wing-Image-Supplied-731x1024.png" alt="" class="wp-image-64344" style="width:545px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Dr-Craig-Wing-Image-Supplied-731x1024.png 731w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Dr-Craig-Wing-Image-Supplied-214x300.png 214w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Dr-Craig-Wing-Image-Supplied-768x1075.png 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Dr-Craig-Wing-Image-Supplied-1097x1536.png 1097w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Dr-Craig-Wing-Image-Supplied.png 1280w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 731px) 100vw, 731px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Dr Craig Wing; Image Supplied</figcaption></figure></div>


A new legislation in South Africa that introduces a 150% tax incentive for the production of electric and hydrogen vehicles was signed into law on January 3 2025.



The 150% tax deduction, effective March 2026, is for qualifying investments capped at R500 million ($26.6 million) for the 2026/27 tax year.



In the same month, Mikel Mabasa, CEO of Naamsa, the Automotive Business Council, said in an interview that at least three Chinese EVs have signed NDAs with them, adding, “With good government policies, we will attract new investment, we will increase and retain investment.”



Wing says this shift is critical: “It represents an opportunity to diversify the availability of EV models in South Africa, which will undoubtedly drive down the prices and make EVs more accessible, but also create a new ecosystem of jobs in both the automotive and associated industries.



“There is also a real risk of creating a dependency on a single source market for technology (China), and this should be balanced by fostering local innovation and skills development within the local workforce, and by focusing on building strong trade relationships with various other global players.”



South Africa’s EV landscape in 2025 and beyond will be shaped by multiple factors, not just technology, but social, cultural, ethical and political factors, says Wing.



It’s important to address the influence of Elon Musk, who is South African-born and the CEO of Tesla, as his political views in the U.S. are well documented, and can shape public perceptions of EVs, he says.



“It is extremely likely he will be acting as a key advisor on technology and business and should be closely watched, as it has the potential to further shape U.S. trade policy, and also the future of the EV market in Africa, as well as other emerging economies.”



“It is a clear reality that what happens in the U.S. has a ripple effect on the rest of the world, and so the role of Elon Musk cannot be ignored,” concludes Wing.

101st Brussels Motor Show 2025

‘Opportunity To Diversify’: A Futurist On The Implications Of The U.S.’s Tariffs On Chinese EVs In Emerging Markets Such As South Africa

Our tech writer got to experience the new electric Mini Cooper SE that’s coming your way.



The highly-anticipated next-generation electric Mini Cooper SE arrived in South Africa six months later than originally planned, and quietly went on sale without a national media launch.



As it stands, Mini will produce both internal combustion engine (ICE) models and three EVs: the Cooper, Countryman and Aceman.



I’ve been driving the Cooper SE for an extended period since November. The base model comes in at R802,000 ($42,350), however my press unit has been kitted out with extras to the value of R924,500 ($48,827).



It is powered by a 160kW motor with 330Nm of torque, equipped with a 49.2kWh nett battery that promises 400km of range (WLTP figures), and has a 95kW maximum DC charging speed. It goes from 0-100km/h in 6.7 seconds while top speed is capped at 170km/h.



The look of new SE is pared down, juxtaposed by modern LED head- and tail-lights that are customizable.



Despite a retro exterior, modern finishes include 12 ultrasonic sensors and four surround cameras; a 9.4-inch round OLED screen that supports apps and games through Mini Operating System 9; a digital voice assistant called Spike; and augmented reality navigation.



Previous models supported Digital Key with NFC, but the new SE has Digital Key Plus ultrawide-band (UWB) support, so I use my compatible iPhone and Apple Watch as fully functional keys; i.e. I don’t carry the physical key anymore.



It also has the Connected Package for navigation with additional info, games and video streaming when the vehicle is stationary, wireless charging, eSIM, etc; and Driving Assistant Plus for maintaining speed, keeping a distance from vehicles ahead, detecting road signs, etc.



The Mini app offers additional functionality that is convenient for the owner, like basic vehicle info, remote 3D view, trip statistics, monitoring charge status, efficiency stats, finding charging stations and more.



The ability to monitor my charge remotely has helped me several times where I could see the vehicle prematurely stopped charging.



While getting from 10%-80% takes about half an hour, its 95kW charging speed cap slows things down between 80%-100%, however the app estimate tends to be accurate, which helps with planning.



As a freelance writer working from home, the ~337km range I yield on a full charge is suited to my lifestyle. I don’t do long distance driving and can easily toggle between driving modes.



Based on access to mall and dealership chargers within my vicinity, it is the ideal runaround city EV. I find it a comfortable, pleasant drive.



I find it a premium overall experience when compared to the GWM Ora, which shares the same platform as the SE as it is currently exclusively built in the same factory in China by Great Wall Motor.



Incidentally, the launch of the Cooper and Aceman models in the United States have been pushed out indefinitely due to high tariffs on Chinese imports.



Mini says production of the two models will begin in Oxford, England in 2026.

OLED screen

A Mini Look At The Electric Ambitions On Course In South Africa

In this week’s edition of The Prototype, we look at how too much reliance on AI assistants could make it harder to think, a company building bioengineered arteries, the role viruses play in Alzheimer’s and more. <a href="https://www.forbes.com/newsletter/the-prototype">You can sign up to get The Prototype in your inbox here</a>.



<abbr>N</abbr>ew AI tools&nbsp;are slowly becoming ubiquitous, being added to the software and hardware we use every day (sometimes whether we like it or not). But if we’re using artificial intelligence to perform tasks, search for information and solve problems, what does that mean for the intelligence we’re born with?



To figure this out, a team of researchers conducted a study involving 666 individuals ages 17 and up, representing a diverse population. It first evaluated the extent to which each of them made use of AI tools, then tested their critical thinking skills. The results of the study,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/15/1/6" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">which were published</a>&nbsp;in the journal&nbsp;Societies, found that those who used AI tools a lot showed worse critical thinking abilities than those who didn’t use them often or at all. Whether someone used AI tools was a bigger predictor of a person’s thinking skills than any other factor, including educational attainment.



The reason for this is a phenomenon called “cognitive offloading” – where people’s thinking and problem-solving are essentially delegated. Frequent cognitive offloading reduces a person’s ability to independently think and solve problems. “This relationship underscores the dual-edged nature of AI technology,” the study authors wrote. “While it enhances efficiency and convenience, it inadvertently fosters dependence, which can compromise critical thinking skills over time.”



These findings are consistent with other studies that have shown a similar negative impact from AI tools on critical thinking skills. The authors note, however, that other studies show AI tools can be beneficial when they complement critical thinking, rather than offloading it. “Future research should explore strategies to integrate AI tools in ways that enhance rather than hinder cognitive engagement,” they wrote. “Ensuring that the next generation is equipped with the skills necessary to navigate an increasingly complex digital landscape.”



Stay tuned.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bioengineering-off-the-shelf-arteries-for-trauma-patients">Bioengineering Off-The-Shelf Arteries For Trauma Patients</h2>



<abbr>E</abbr>very year, thousands of Americans receive traumatic injuries that damage the arteries that crucially carry blood to their limbs. When these occur, patients basically have three options, Laura Niklason, CEO of regenerative medicine startup Humacyte, told me: they can have a vein grafted from another part of their body, which takes extra time and causes additional trauma; the surgeon can replace the artery with a synthetic plastic one, which creates a high risk of infection; or the limb can be amputated.



Niklason has a fourth option: her company has developed a bioengineered artery called Symvess which can be surgically implanted in a patient’s body, helping to both preserve the limb and reduce risk of infection. Symvess is derived from human donor cells that are grown in a lab on a degradable scaffold, in batches of 200 at a time. Over time, the cells recreate the physical structure of a blood vessel. Once that’s complete, the living cells are then processed away, leaving the artery structure behind, which can then be implanted in a new patient without risk of rejection. Cells in the patient&#8217;s body then occupy the implant, essentially regenerating a new artery.



Last month, Symvess was&nbsp;<a href="https://investors.humacyte.com/news-releases/news-release-details/humacyte-announces-fda-approval-symvesstm-acellular-tissue" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">approved by the FDA</a>&nbsp;for use in patients with traumatic injuries. That approval was based on studies that showed that the product, which has been implanted in over 600 patients so far, is significantly less likely to cause infection or lead to limb amputation compared to conventional synthetic arteries made from plastic.



For its next steps, the company will be working with Medicare and private insurers to ensure that they will pay for transplant procedures using Symvess. It’s also conducting studies to use Symvess with patients who have kidney dialysis and patients who have pulmonary arterial hypertension. It’s also developing a new, smaller version of its product that could potentially be used for heart bypass patients.



“This is truly a first-of-its-kind technology, and the FDA had to see a lot of data before they could get comfortable and say yes,” said Niklason. “So I’m very glad to be here.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">DISCOVERY OF THE WEEK: INACTIVE VIRUSES MAY CAUSE NEURODEGENERATION</h2>



It’s long been known that repeated head injuries can lead to&nbsp;neurodegenerative diseases&nbsp;like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and CTE. But it wasn’t clear exactly how that happened. New research suggests the answer may be&nbsp;dormant viruses, particularly&nbsp;herpes simplex 1, which is found in the brains of over 80% of the population. These findings were reached by growing&nbsp;small tissue models&nbsp;of the brain, some with the herpes virus and some without, which were then struck repeatedly with a piston to mimic concussion.



The study, which was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scisignal.ado6430" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">published in&nbsp;Science Signalling</a>, found that the brain tissues with the virus developed signs of&nbsp;Alzheimer’s disease, while those without did not, and that the damage was markedly increased with repeated blows. The researchers plan to conduct future studies that explore whether exposure to&nbsp;antiviral or anti-inflammatory drugs&nbsp;shortly after an injury could help prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FINAL FRONTIER: WATER-BASED PROPULSION TEST</h2>



Japanese startup&nbsp;Pale Blue&nbsp;<a href="https://pale-blue.co.jp/news/543/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">announced</a>&nbsp;it has signed a deal with Italy-based company&nbsp;D-Orbit&nbsp;to conduct two demonstrations in-orbit of its&nbsp;new ion thruster, which allows satellites both to maneuver and to take themselves out of orbit at the end of their life. Pale Blue’s thruster uses&nbsp;water&nbsp;as a propellant, which potentially offers a cleaner and more sustainable fuel for small satellites.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">WHAT ELSE I WROTE THIS WEEK</h2>



In my other newsletter,&nbsp;InnovationRx, my colleague&nbsp;Amy Feldman&nbsp;and I&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/innovationrx/2025/01/08/innovationrx-medical-debts-will-be-erased-from-credit-histories/">covered a number of healthcare stories</a>, including a drug that significantly improves survival for&nbsp;lung cancer&nbsp;patients, the controversy over&nbsp;pulse oximetry&nbsp;technology and a new study that finds that while&nbsp;LLMs&nbsp;are good at answering medical exam questions, they’re much less proficient at making diagnoses from patient conversations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">SCIENCE AND TECH TIDBITS</h2>



My colleague Jeremy Bogaisky&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeremybogaisky/2025/01/09/amazon-alibaba-fiber-optic-drone-ukraine/">reports</a>&nbsp;that online retailers like Amazon and Alibaba are selling technology that&nbsp;protects drones&nbsp;from having their signals jammed or being remotely taken over.



Ai startup Anthropic’s new funding round will make all seven of its founders&nbsp;billionaires,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexkonrad/2025/01/08/anthropic-60-billion-valuation-will-make-all-seven-cofounders-billionaires/">write my colleagues</a>&nbsp;Alex Konrad and Phoebe Liu.



Researchers&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2025/01/novel-quantum-refrigerator-great-erasing-quantum-computers-chalkboard" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">developed a technique</a>&nbsp;for&nbsp;refrigerating quantum computers&nbsp;in a way that reduces errors and could potentially make them more reliable.



Eating&nbsp;grapefruit&nbsp;can interfere with the action of several kinds of medications, including anti-anxiety drugs and statins. But new research suggests it may be possible to&nbsp;<a href="https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/nph.20322" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">grow a variety of the fruit</a>&nbsp;that doesn’t interfere with prescription drugs.



Biologists successfully transplanted&nbsp;chloroplasts–the cells that power photosynthesis– from algae into&nbsp;hamsters, where they&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/pjab/100/9/100_pjab.100.035/_article" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">successfully functioned</a>&nbsp;for about three days.



Scientists at Northwestern University&nbsp;<a href="https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2025/01/trash-to-treasure-industrial-waste-battery/?fj=1" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">built a battery</a>&nbsp;that uses triphenylphosphine oxide, a common&nbsp;industrial waste product, to store energy instead of metals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">PRO SCIENCE TIP: ADD WATER TO YOUR COFFEE BEANS</h2>



Here’s an easy tip to enhance the flavor of your morning cup of&nbsp;coffee: add a little&nbsp;water&nbsp;to the beans before you grind them. This isn’t a new idea–among coffee professionals this is known as the “Ross Droplet Technique”–but new research gives scientific backing to the idea. When beans are ground, they build up a&nbsp;static electric charge, which causes clumping and inconsistent extraction during the brewing process. In new&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cell.com/matter/fulltext/S2590-2385(23)00568-4" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">research published</a>&nbsp;in the journal&nbsp;Matter, scientists found that the Ross Droplet Technique reduced the static charge during grinding, producing a&nbsp;better-tasting coffee.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">WHAT’S ENTERTAINING ME THIS WEEK</h2>



I’ve been listening to the concept album&nbsp;Epic&nbsp;by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.epicthemusical.com/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Jorge Rivera-Herrans</a>. It’s a musical-style adaptation of&nbsp;The Odyssey, telling the tale of&nbsp;Odysseus&nbsp;from the end of the&nbsp;Trojan War&nbsp;until his return home to&nbsp;Ithaca. The album is divided into nine sagas of a few songs each, serving as chapters in the story. It’s an amazing version of one of humanity’s oldest stories, and it’s appropriate for it to be sung–that is, after all, how it was originally presented in the time of Homer. It’s streaming on most of the major music services.

Working robots

The Prototype: Study Suggests AI Tools Decrease Critical Thinking Skills

CES Las Vegas kicked off this week with a keynote from Nvidia, the second-most valuable company after Apple, with AI-powered innovations for gaming, robotics, autonomous vehicles, agentic AI, and its first desktop computer.



Nvidia CEO and founder Jensen Huang said AI is advancing at an incredible pace, which started with perception AI, then generative AI, and now, “physical AI, AI that can proceed, reason, plan and act”.



Its newly announced Nvidia Cosmos platform was described as a “ChatGPT moment” for robotics and autonomous vehicles by Huang intended to advance ‘physical AI’.



Its gen-AI capabilities will simulate and predict real-world outcomes by generating high-fidelity, physics-aware video from simple inputs, explains Nvidia.



Huang described agentic AI as the next big thing for the enterprise, designed to exhibit autonomy, decision-making capabilities, and perform tasks proactively, rather than reactive AI.



Apart from its Blackwell-based GeForce RTX 50 Series graphics cards for high performance applications for gaming, AI development, content creation, etc, it also announced a partnership with Toyota to power its next-generation of vehicles.



The DriveOS operating system focuses on safety, autonomous driving and AI-powered cockpit experiences.



Nvidia will also partner with Aurora Innovation, an autonomous trucking company, to power its next-generation self-driving trucks.



Other car news included Honda’s unveiling of two new EV prototype models, the Honda 0 Saloon and Honda 0 SUV. It is expected to go on sale in North America in 2026, as part of the company’s 0 Series lineup. No technical specifications were shared.



Sony and Honda announced pricing for its previously introduced electric Afeela, which starts at $89,900. The EV is powered by Sony software, which supports PS5 games through its infotainment system.



BMW unveiled a new iDrive version, featuring BMW Panoramic Vision, to be introduced first on all its Neue Klasse models at the end of 2025.



It’s a futuristic head-up display (HUD) that spans across the bottom of the windscreen, projecting driver information that is customisable.



Zeekr showed off an autonomous robotaxi (RT), with Nvidia’s Drive AGX Thor system-on-chip, making it the first automaker in the world to do so.



The company says the Zeekr RT will begin mass production this year, which will be used by Google’s Waymo for its next-gen self-driving taxis. Delivery is expected before the end of 2025.



And taking things a notch higher is Chinese EV maker XPeng who showed off a modular flying car called the AeroHT.



The ‘Land Aircraft Carrier’ is an electric van with six wheels, and at the back it houses an electric vehicle take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for one passenger to fly in.



XPeng says its flying car takes “five minutes to learn and three hours to master”, featuring a joystick and large touchscreen. It is not made for commutes, but rather to explore remote areas like if you’re camping.



CES also showcased pet tech, such as GPS tracking, health monitoring and bark monitoring, by Tractive, which lets dog owners monitor things like health and happiness.



The company says its app will “alert pet owners when a concerning pattern is emerging, as dogs can’t speak and are often very good at hiding pain or discomfort”.



Speaking about wellbeing, the Nutrix coriSense is a small handheld gadget that tells you if you’re stressed by spitting into it. It recommends testing four times a day, and analyses cortisol levels from your saliva.



Other wacky gadgets showcased was the Kirin Electric Salt Spoon concept that enhances the perception of saltiness in your food using mild electric currents, and the Spicerr dispenser with touchscreen that measures out your spices from six spice capsules.



Only time will tell if these concepts make it to the real world.

XPeng Flying Car; Image supplied

Global Tech Event Unveils AI Breakthroughs, Flying Cars And PetTech: A Glimpse Of The Weird And Wacky

Scott Belsky Says AI Is Collapsing Boundaries Between Traditional Business Functions And Putting More Creative Ability Within Anyone’s Reach.



Tell me a bit about your role at Adobe.



Belsky:&nbsp;My responsibility is overseeing our emerging product groups. These are the groups that include 3D &amp; Immersive. They include the AI-first products, like&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.adobe.com/en/publish/2024/10/14/new-creative-beginnings-gen-ai-redefining-ideation-with-project-concept" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Project Concept</a>&nbsp;and a whole roadmap of others. They include the Adobe Stock business, which is going through a re-imagination in the world of AI, and is also responsible for sourcing the data that we train our models on.



Then, of course, design. The design organization spans all of our products and services across the company, and it’s an important part of my role to make sure that the designers are aligned around the experiences we’re delivering to our customers. Upgrading our design system, ensuring that we don’t reinvent the wheel across different products when it relates to a particular component or function.



The Strategy &amp; Corporate Development Group also is in my organization. That’s a group that plots the strategy for Adobe going forward, and explores the edges that may someday become the center for the company, then also takes action on some of the inorganic opportunities that we have on the M&amp;A side.



When you’re looking forward, how large of a role does AI play in corporate strategy?



Artificial intelligence to me is reimagining and refactoring every function of an organization. Whether it be finance and accounting, or HR, or legal, or creative, or marketing, these functions are being re-imagined based on these tools. These tools are also collapsing the boundaries between some of these functions, which allow stakeholders who ordinarily were never able to access the power of these functions to be able to do stuff on their behalf.



When you look at the world of creativity and marketing, a few things become clear. First of all, you have a lot of marketers at the edge, like these social media marketers, and people who are engaging in real-time on behalf of the brand on social platforms, where a lot of the spend goes these days for marketing. Those folks need to be outfitted to be able to create in real time. They need to be able to create variations of marketing campaigns. They need to be able to create content that responds to the moment. So in some ways, the lines are blurry. These marketers are acting more like creators.



Similarly on the creator side, creators are starting to act as if they’re art directors and creative directors when they have the ability to assign tasks to AI. Instead of the three or five options that they have the time to explore, now they can explore 300 options leveraging the superpowers of AI. In some cases, that makes them more tastemakers, creative directors and art directors when they’re at that stage of the process.



When it comes to using tools to get exactly what’s in their mind’s eye reflected in some sort of content or creative asset, they have these new tools at their disposal. That’s one of the things that we’re most excited about at Adobe: Taking our creative pros from the prompt era of AI creativity to the controls era. Right now, the creative pros that I talk to are still tinkering with these models. They have fun putting in prompts and stuff like that. It’s a cool concepting and ideation process, but none of it is commercially ready for them to use for putting out something. They want to make all these changes, so they take it into Photoshop, they take it into Illustrator, they take it into our products. I think that control era, where AI becomes even more granular and they can take the reins, is an important step for creative pros.



It’s been two years since ChatGPT hit and every enterprise decided they wanted to have generative AI. How have you seen businesses change their perspective on AI? How do they look at it now?



I think there are two camps of businesses. There are the businesses that typically are the pragmatists. They’re always late to adopt new technologies, for all sorts of reasons. It could be regulatory, it could be deeply ingrained traditions, patterns and reflexes. And it could be the leaders are somewhat technophobic and they want to wait until they have to change something.



Then there’s the camp that’s always saying, we need to reimagine how we do what we do before someone else does. I think [a] characteristic of that camp that leans forward in new technology is they recognize that not only should they be optimizing their product, but they should also be optimizing how they work to create their product. They’re always saying: if we could have more efficient meetings, or if we could have more efficient usage of our data, or if we could optimize the way that we come up with marketing ideas, or if we could streamline this and streamline that.



In that camp, I feel like there’s a big lean in on this technology. They’re in most cases at least playing with it. Many of them are piloting it in some way, shape or form across specific projects. And those who are still playing and piloting are trying to protect the groups that are doing so by making the objectives more along the lines of learning, as opposed to a business outcome, because they want to make sure that they grasp the knowledge and learnings of these tools and their workflows.



And then there are some that have already started to achieve business outcomes and really refactor. When I look at Adobe, we are using products like Copilot and GitHub for our engineers. That has a material impact on how we work. We use Firefly for our branding and marketing work. We’re already creating variations of content and experiencing this kind of multiplier benefit of using those tools.



From where you sit and what you see, both at Adobe but also in the wider space, what do you see coming online and becoming available and accessible to businesses in the way of AI in 2025?



In 2025, there will be a few themes. Number one is that the memory that these AI tools have of our preferences is going to start to enhance the outcomes that we can achieve. On the content and marketing side, the AI remembering the character consistency of something you’re trying to generate content around—whether it be a product that you’re shooting marketing images of, or a character going through a commercial or a short piece of video that you’re developing. The remembering of your brand components, your preferences for brand tone and copy and all that sort of stuff.



On the personal consumer LLM stuff that we all use, the context windows are getting longer and more sophisticated. These AI agents remembering everything we’ve ever purchased, everything we’ve ever liked or disliked, those preferences are going to start to kick in to uplevel the quality of those experiences.



The rise of [AI] agents is going to surprise all of us. We’ve always had a learning curve when it comes to learning tools, software and processes. That’s the learning curve of starting a job or rising the ranks. I would imagine sometime this year, these agents are going to start to meet us where we are in the software tools that we use. They’re going to know what we know and don’t know about it, and they’ll allow us to leverage a lot of power with natural language.



I think it’s really exciting to know that anyone could be able to use a lot of tools that were out of reach. It [also] allows companies like us to not just target marketers and creative pros, but also the stakeholders of marketing and creative, which is almost everyone in an organization. And it also just drives better usage of the product. If an agent helps you and takes actions on your behalf and can explain and show you, it’s really a holy grail for helping people get value out of the products they use.



For creative and marketing tools at Adobe, what is on the horizon—in terms of new developments, ideas and concepts—that will impact what you do?



A couple come to mind. Number one is this new category of ideation and concepting. That typically is the top of the funnel of any creative process. It typically happens in a very offline or manual way, in the form of people making mood boards of images or bookmarks on Instagram of things that inspire them. As I’ve gone around and talked to a lot of creators, art and creative directors and brand managers, they’re constantly collecting all this stuff. For them to be able to use AI to rapidly expand the surface area of possibility they can explore to find great solutions to problems, that category of concepting and mood boarding in the age of AI is really interesting to us. I think that’s one new category that’s going to emerge that’s going to be important for Adobe, and also for the creative and marketing worlds.



The second thing that I think we will see is the maturing, development and innovation of our foundation models. Firefly is in the leading pack of models out there for media generation. The key difference is that Firefly was only trained on commercially safe content that we have licensed. I think we’re one of the only companies that’s really transparent about exactly how we’ve trained our model—as opposed to politely not answering the question. I think that’s important to a lot of our customers, especially in the enterprise, or [among] artists who want to use new tools like AI, but in the right way. I think these models will continue to get better, but that differentiation will continue to become more important.



While we want to make Firefly as great as possible and have it be the commercially safe model for commercial creativity and marketing, I also think that customers may want to use third-party models for various purposes. They might want to use a certain generative model that was trained to make explosions, or to help typography. I’ve been an advocate internally of us supporting third-party models in the workflows that people have. Adobe’s always been a platform-agnostic company, and whenever a platform like Apple or Windows gets better, so do our tools. Similarly, if a new video model comes out, and then another better one, and another better one, if all of those are accessible to our customers for various use cases, how could we not help our customers make use of them? That’s also something that we’re exploring.



You are one of the creators of the&nbsp;<a href="https://contentauthenticity.org/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Content Authenticity Initiative</a>. Where do you see that going in 2025?



This is one of the true passion projects of my career that I think [is] most important. The Content Authenticity Initiative started over five years ago when we started to see new features emerge in products like After Effects that allowed people to edit real video in a very fast way using AI. So this is before the advent of generative AI, but [it] allowed you to remove objects, mask and do things in video that made something very clear to us: The era ahead was one where we could no longer believe our eyes. In that sense, the question was: What do we do to help people demonstrate that something is real? Or if they’ve edited it, how do we help them show how it was changed so that they can still be trusted? It wasn’t developed to punish bad actors. It was developed to reward good actors who are willing to show the provenance and attribution of their work, which creators love. They want to get credit for their work, so they want to add credentials if they can.



Now, in the age of generative AI and the ubiquity of these technologies, the importance of the Content Authenticity Initiative became 10x, because suddenly all of this stuff, anything in your mind could be generated in a second. In some of the models out there that are trained on the open internet, you can make anyone be doing anything. We realized everyone’s looking for the same solution. The social platforms want a way to expose credentials of assets to show how they were edited or made. The enterprises of the world want to know which model was used to create assets, because if it’s a non-commercially safe model, they may not want to use it in a marketing campaign.



Over the last five years, this has become way bigger than Adobe. We are one of the leaders of a number of people. It’s an open-source, open protocol. It’s a nonprofit organization that runs this with constituents from other companies, including competitive companies. The adoption of content credentials is now north of 3,000. Organizations including all the major camera companies like Nikon, Leica, Canon, Sony. You name it, folks are getting on board.



The vision here is very simple. There’s a cryptographic signature that is put into every asset. It’s not a centralized service. This manifest of data, and how this asset was edited and made, travels with the asset. It’s done in such a way where even if you take a screenshot, it still preserves that information. The platforms that display it have the option—whether it’s YouTube, who’s on board, or Facebook, Meta’s on board—has the option of showing any degree of granularity over those credentials that are attached to that asset. And at the end of the day, us as end viewers can determine whether we can trust it or not.



If we were to be having a conversation a year from today, looking back on what’s happened in 2025 and what to expect in terms of AI for 2026, what would we be talking about?



I think we’d be talking about the new discoveries we’ve had on how to use these reasoning engines. I think we’re still at the infancy of how we leverage these state-of-the-art LLMs. As they gain more powerful and longer context windows, and they start to learn who we are, and in some ways empathize with us and where we are in our knowledge, and what our interests are, et cetera, these reasoning engines are going to play a really interesting role, kind of augmenting the way our brain works.



The thing that I find most interesting these days, personally, is when I talk to friends about how they’re using these tools: To go back and forth and make health decisions about themselves that they never had the resources to make. Or they’re putting a proposal together for a customer, and putting it into the LLM first and saying, what might give my customer pause? Why might my customer not want to do business with me based on this proposal? They’re getting such incredible, interesting responses increasingly based on who they are or what their company does. It’s really magical. It’s like having an instant focus group of exactly who you’d want to be in front of you at every given moment in time, and having those insights come back to you. I think we’re going to be surprised by the power of these reasoning engines for making decisions, for managing personal things, for being more effective in our jobs.



I also think they’re going to start to play a role in the commerce or purchase decisions that we make. The idea that we used to decide what restaurant to go to or what thing to buy based on how many stars it has from strangers is going to be replaced by the wisdom and guidance of an AI that knows us extremely well and can give us a recommendation based on our preferences, opposed to based on what the average person thinks.



If you could give some wisdom to CEOs that are looking forward and trying to map out an AI strategy for 2025, what would you say?



No. 1 is allow your teams to play and pilot this technology. Novelty precedes utility when it comes to adoption of new technology. You might not feel like it’s driving the bottom line immediately, but that play helps them discover the utility that ultimately makes a huge impact in the business.



No. 2 is constantly asking yourself a question. Whenever you’re reviewing the roadmap for a particular function of your organization, or the hiring plan, or the product strategy, you should always be asking yourself: Are we sufficiently refactoring how this works? And are we sufficiently re-imagining what’s possible? We’re in a platform shift now that happens probably once every decade—if not longer—where you actually can fundamentally change the way something operates. Over the coming years, roles will change. The tools that we use to run certain functions will change. And as a leader of an organization, you have to be asking yourself: Are we sufficiently refactoring? Are we sufficiently reimagining how we can achieve our mission?

In this photo illustration, the Adobe, Inc. logo is seen

AI Is Reimagining Every Aspect Of Business, Adobe’s Strategy Lead Says

<a href="https://www.forbes.com/"></a><a href="https://www.forbes.com/search/"></a>In 2025, advancements in AI and voice technology could fulfill a promise that tech giants have been making for more than a decade.



Voice assistants like SIri and Alexa could get a much needed boost by AI agents.NurPhoto via Getty Images



In 2016, when newly-minted Google CEO Sundar Pichai unveiled the Google Assistant as part of his new “AI-first” agenda, he touted the fledgling voice assistant as a tool to help people complete tasks.



“The Google Assistant allows you to get things done, bringing you the information you need, when you need it, wherever you are,” he wrote in a&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.google/intl/en-mena/product-updates/explore-get-answers/2016-google-assistant-en/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">blog post</a>&nbsp;at the time.



It was a lofty goal that has, for the most part, fallen short. Too often, the software gets stumped by a request, defaulting to a web search and apologetically saying it can’t help. That led people to relegate voice assistants to simple tasks like setting cooking timers, playing music or controlling their lights. Amazon’s Alexa, released a decade ago, hasn’t fared much better. Siri, the earliest of the bunch, launched by Apple in 2011, has been&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/SiriFail/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">panned most of all</a>.



But as generative AI has gone mainstream over the last two years, it has paved the way for AI “agents”: software that’s specifically programmed to take action or complete tasks on behalf of a user, like booking a reservation or buying something online. And as the “agentic era,” as Pichai calls it, arrives in 2025, the technology has the chance to do something that has to date eluded the big tech platforms: make their voice assistants actually useful.



That means Google Assistant, Alexa and Siri could finally fulfill their promise to act like personal assistants. Instead of just reciting your meeting schedule for the day, like Google Assistant can do now, it might actually be able to book the meetings, reaching out to contacts and finding a time that works for both people. They might have the ability to book your flights and hotels for a big vacation like a digital travel agent, with little more info than trip dates and destination.



Agents are the latest frenzy in the tech industry, with more than 470 platforms devoted to the technology, according to Forrester research. That ranges from big tech giants to smaller startups like LangChain, CrewAI and Play.ai. Beyond consumer features, they can also potentially transform businesses, with agents for customer service or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/rashishrivastava/2024/12/02/cognition-scott-wu-devin-ai/">software development</a>. Deal count for AI agent startups is up more than 81% over the last year, according to PitchBook, with more than $8 billion invested in the space.



“The race is on,” said Steve Jang, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/lists/midas/">Forbes&nbsp;Midas List investor</a>&nbsp;and founder of the firm Kindred Ventures. “Startups will be competing with the established platforms on who can orchestrate this at much higher fidelity. And who can create much more humanistic and realistic voices and conversations, and access the data and actions that we all want.”



The big tech voice assistants are best poised for such an AI jump start. Google has its marquee model Gemini to beef up its voice searches. Apple earlier this year announced a partnership with OpenAI to use ChatGPT to power some Siri queries. And in the last year, Amazon has invested $8 billion in Anthropic, which makes the powerful Claude chatbot. Google declined to make any of its executives available for interviews. Apple and Amazon didn’t reply to interview requests.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
“I only use Siri for trivial things that I know it&#8217;s not going to screw up.”Kanjun Qiu, Co-founder, Imbue
</blockquote>



Jang thinks the real innovations will be made in actual voice AI models. Unlike large language models, which underpin services like ChatGPT, voice models are not trained on text and then read aloud by the software. Instead, voice models are trained on actual voice audio, so they can pick up on subtleties in speech, like cadence or emotional cues. Jang has invested in Play.ai, which specializes in voice agents; it’s competing with companies like ElevenLabs, OpenAI and Google that are all working on voice models.



Some, however, are not so convinced that agents will make the big voice assistants exponentially better. Kanjun Qiu, founder of Imbue, which is building agents for coding software, thinks adding more AI to those products will only “incrementally” improve them. She said that new AI features still won’t be a big enough leap for people to trust them. “Delegation as a paradigm is actually really hard for people,” said Qiu. “I only use Siri for trivial things that I know it&#8217;s not going to screw up.”



But she thinks recent improvements in voice AI will help consumers in other ways. For example, more apps will integrate voice features, she predicts. With improved latency and natural language understanding, you’ll be able to give an app instructions and it will carry out that action, Qiu said — like telling an e-commerce app you’d like to return the pair of shoes that don’t fit quite right. (An engineer by training, she said she’s built an app for herself that turns rambling into a to-do list.)



Improvements in AI and voice technology could also unlock hardware ambitions that Silicon Valley has been attempting for years. More than a decade ago, Google infamously faceplanted when it unveiled Google Glass, a piece of smart eyewear that stoked privacy fears and wasn’t very useful. Earlier this month, the company teased a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/richardnieva/2024/12/11/googles-gemini-ai-glasses/">new pair of prototype glasses</a>&nbsp;to be used with Project Astra, Google’s new platform for AI agents. In a demo, the glasses, which are voice-controlled, automatically pulled up a door code from the wearer’s email the moment he looked at the entry keypad. The tech could also conjure up route information about the bus in front of him or the art sculpture he walked by.



Meanwhile, Facebook’s Orion glasses, announced earlier this year, use a combination of voice and hand gestures to control AI tools, like looking at ingredients in your pantry and asking the tech to find a recipe that uses them.



Voice-based innovations also make technology more accessible. Not everyone can read or write or type, but more people have the ability to speak, Jang said. And it’s an increasing preference for young people: 42% of 18-to-29 year olds in the U.S. send voice messages in their chat apps at least weekly, according to a study by YouGov and Vox.



New advancements in AI could make voice tools even more widely used and change the way people interact with their technology. “It makes voice agents — and voice itself — this great new user interface that has been untapped so far in computing,” Jang said.

Internet technology and people’s networks use AI to help with work, AI Learning or artificial intelligence in business and modern technology, AI technology in everyday life.

AI Agents Could Finally Make Siri And Alexa Truly Useful

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



Bitcoin set several new records throughout 2024 and eclipsed the six-digit threshold for the first time, leading the charge amid a broader crypto rally after Donald Trump’s election victory—but its milestone surge to $100,000 wasn’t even the most impressive outperformance of the market by a cryptocurrency in 2024, thanks to several altcoins and meme coins also rising dramatically.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



Bitcoin—surging by 47% since Election Day—has added about $1.2 trillion to its market capitalization this year as of Dec. 19, surging by 130% to just over $102,000.



But it was Pepe, a token named for the meme frog linked to far-right groups, that was the top performer among coins with market capitalizations over $5 billion, gaining about 1,570%, according to CoinMarketCap.



SUI, the native token for Sui’s blockchain network, is the next best performer with a 509% gain, while dogecoin, a cryptocurrency touted by Elon Musk in recent years, outgained bitcoin with a 333% surge, during which the meme coin reached highs not seen since the pandemic.



The token used by Ripple, a digital asset firm cofounded by billionaires&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/chris-larsen/">Chris Larsen</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/jed-mccaleb/">Jed McCaleb</a>, similarly outpaced bitcoin this year as XRP jumped nearly 304%.



Stellar, used by the Stellar blockchain network, and Toncoin, the native cryptocurrency for a blockchain developed by Telegram, increased by 233% and 155%, respectively, trailing the Hedera network’s token, which grew about 248%.



Another Shiba Inu-inspired token, Shiba Inu, and Tronix’s cryptocurrency TRON just beat out bitcoin this year by climbing 150% and 155%, respectively.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-10-best-performing-cryptocurrencies-in-2024-market-cap-over-5-billion">The 10 Best-Performing Cryptocurrencies In 2024 (market Cap Over $5 Billion)</h2>



<ol class="wp-block-list">
<li>Pepe: up 1,570.7%, market capitalization $9 billion</li>



<li>SUI: up 509%, market cap $13.7 billion</li>



<li>Dogecoin: up 333.1%, market cap $56.9 billion</li>



<li>XRP: up 303.9%, market cap $142.3 billion</li>



<li>Hedera: up 247.7%, market cap $11.5 billion</li>



<li>Stellar: up 233.4%, market cap $12.9 billion</li>



<li>Toncoin: up 155.6%, market cap $14.6 billion</li>



<li>TRON: up 155.1%, market cap $23.7 billion</li>



<li>Shiba Inu: up 150.1%, market cap $15.2 billion</li>



<li>Bitcoin: up 135.9%, market cap $2 trillion</li>
</ol>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-much-did-the-crypto-market-grow-in-2024">How Much Did The Crypto Market Grow In 2024?</h2>



About $1.8 trillion was added to the global crypto market’s aggregate market value in 2024, surging from just below $1.8 trillion to $3.6 trillion as of Dec. 18,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coingecko.com/en/global-charts" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">according</a>&nbsp;to CoinGecko. Bitcoin holds more than a majority of the market at 56.8% and accounted for roughly two-thirds of the overall market growth.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-are-meme-coins">What Are Meme Coins?</h2>



Meme coins are a form of cryptocurrency often tied to a viral internet joke, and their prices are often&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/investing/meme-coins" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">more volatile</a>&nbsp;than any other token because they react to moments in pop culture. Dogecoin&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tylerroush/2024/11/13/dogecoin-jumps-toward-three-year-high-after-trump-announces-department-of-government-efficiency/">rose</a>&nbsp;in November after Trump announced Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy would lead the Department of Government Efficiency, whose acronymized name shares the name of the coin. Musk subsequently posted images of a “DOGE” logo and a Shiba Inu that appear to refer to dogecoin, which features the dog’s face. He previously embraced dogecoin on social media in 2021, sending the token to a peak of nearly $0.70, before Musk’s comment on “Saturday Night Live” that the coin was a “hustle” sent its price back down to just above $0.05. Altcoins, or cryptocurrencies viewed as an alternative to bitcoin, also tend to be more volatile as some analysts say the market has become&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/investing/what-are-altcoins" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">oversaturated</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-did-trump-s-election-boost-crypto">How Did Trump’s Election Boost Crypto?</h2>



Trump was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tylerroush/2024/10/23/these-pro-crypto-billionaires-have-endorsed-trump-or-harris-as-election-day-nears/">backed by</a>&nbsp;several billionaires with ties to the cryptocurrency industry, including Gemini cofounders Tyler Winklevoss and Cameron Winklevoss and Ripple’s Larsen. Trump claimed he wanted the U.S. to become the “crypto capital of the planet” and has supported bitcoin mining. His election win sent bitcoin to new record highs as the token eclipsed the $80,000, $90,000 and $100,000 thresholds within a month of Election Day. Ethereum, the second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap ($418 billion) rose by 43% while adding more than $118 billion to its capitalization. In total, the global crypto market’s aggregate market value has increased by more than $1 trillion since Election Day, according to CoinGecko.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



The crypto market reached new highs in 2024, beginning with the Securities and Exchange Commission <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2024/01/10/sec-approves-spot-bitcoin-etfs-first-crypto-funds-of-kind/?sh=2ca4ef81417a">approving</a> the first bitcoin exchange-traded funds in the U.S. in January. Spot bitcoin ETFs allow investors to invest in the cryptocurrency without paying higher fees associated with buying the token directly on exchanges like Coinbase. That decision brought in about $15 billion in capital within the first five months, according to an analysis from Bernstein. Since then, the crypto market benefitted from becoming a focus of the recent presidential election, including Trump’s embrace of the industry despite his earlier criticism.

Bitcoin on digital circuit board and graph

Bitcoin Wasn’t Even The Best-Performing Cryptocurrency Of 2024—Despite Breaching $100,000

Drone delivery and logistics company Zipline continues to make inroads for communities in the remote areas of Rwanda to access essential medical and agriculture supplies.



Over an hour’s drive outside the city of Kigali, if you happen to see a drone flying overhead, you must know that it has been launched from the Zipline facility in Muhanga, and is probably on its way to deliver a package to a remote village in Rwamagana in the Eastern Province of Rwanda.


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Prosper-Uruvugundi-Partnership-Manager-at-Zipline-about-to-release-a-delivery-Photo-byChanel-Retief-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-64115" style="width:584px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Prosper-Uruvugundi-Partnership-Manager-at-Zipline-about-to-release-a-delivery-Photo-byChanel-Retief-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Prosper-Uruvugundi-Partnership-Manager-at-Zipline-about-to-release-a-delivery-Photo-byChanel-Retief-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Prosper-Uruvugundi-Partnership-Manager-at-Zipline-about-to-release-a-delivery-Photo-byChanel-Retief-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Prosper-Uruvugundi-Partnership-Manager-at-Zipline-about-to-release-a-delivery-Photo-byChanel-Retief-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Prosper-Uruvugundi-Partnership-Manager-at-Zipline-about-to-release-a-delivery-Photo-byChanel-Retief-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo by Chanel Retief</figcaption></figure></div>


Who will be receiving this package, you may ask? A farmer. And what is being delivered? Pig semen.



“To help increase the genetic diversity of pigs, farmers purchase pig semen and engage a veterinarian trained in artificial insemination,” states an article by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) on quality livestock and breeding in Rwanda.



Zipline, a drone delivery and logistics company, has sought to simplify the pain and process of access, eliminating the need for farmers to drive long hours to buy pig semen and bring it back to their farms, oftentimes in an already compromised state.



“Healthy animals and insemination products delivered right on time means more nutritious animal proteins and products,” Prosper Uruvugundi, Partnerships Manager at Zipline, tells FORBES AFRICA, as he takes us past the refrigerators storing semen in the warehouse at Muhanga.



The storeroom features rows of shelves for medication and medical supplies, and cold rooms that store blood for both human and animal needs.



The process, while seemingly seamless, involves many important requisites, for example, the standard hospital or medical services’ delivery requests.



Uruvugundi says that once the order comes through via phone, SMS, WhatsApp, API, or on the Zipline app, the technician will start to process the order.



“This order is coming from Kayonza (from a smallholder farmer in the Eastern Province),” he says, pointing at a screen. “He has requested pig semen.”



Following a query for clarification, “Yes,” says Uruvugundi matter-of-factly.



“Chances are the farmer either has veterinarian training or one on site who will do the insemination.”



Another technician has already taken out a unit of the product and started the process of wrapping it up carefully. Zipline delivers many more products for farmers.



In 2022, Zipline partnered with the Government of Rwanda, which included the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB), to up the delivery of both healthcare and animal care goods in the country.



That year alone, the Ministry of Agriculture reportedly delivered more than 500,000 doses of animal health vaccines and more than 8,000 units of swine semen to vets and farmers, using Zipline.



With access to animal husbandry products and an increased fertility rate, more pigs can be raised with a healthier genetic profile.



The company’s autonomous drones operate on optimized flight paths, which are calculated, based on real-time data to ensure swift and reliable deliveries.



Their operations are controlled by a central system that continuously monitors weather, traffic, and the healthcare and farming facility’s demand to coordinate multiple deliveries.



According to Pierre Kayitana, Zipline’s General Manager, this data-driven approach helps reduce response times, increase delivery precision, and ensure that supplies reach their destinations without delay.



“We’re also mindful of the local communities and ecosystems, using technology that minimizes noise and environmental disruption while maximizing the efficiency of each flight,” Kayitana tells FORBES AFRICA.



What started as an operation designed to deliver blood supplies and medicine to remote areas throughout Rwanda has now shaped itself into one that is using technology to tackle an entire ecosystem. “We’re actively scaling up to provide 100% coverage for all Rwandan health posts,” Kayitana says.



“[This ensures] that every community, no matter how remote, has access to essential medical supplies. Our focus in Rwanda will continue to grow, with plans to expand our range of delivered products, potentially incorporating new health solutions like malaria treatments.” As Uruvugundi takes the packaged semen from the ‘Ready to Fly’ post, places the box into the drone and locks it in, we ask how long it



would take for the package to reach the farmer. The flight engineer starts the process, calling in the launch to the control room, signaling it to begin. As the drone zooms past Uruvugundi, he smiles and says with surety: “It will not be more than an hour, maybe two.”

Prosper Uruvugundi, Partnership Manager at Zipline (Photo byChanel Retief)

Where Healthcare And Agritech Take Flight In Rwanda

What comes first: the chicken or the egg? ARTURO ELIZONDO’S biotech is reinventing protein, reshaping global diet and future-proofing the food industry. read on about the world’s first liquid egg made without hens.



Protein water, protein ice cream, protein pasta, protein cookies and protein cereal.



These are just a few of the interesting products on-shelf for anyone looking to increase their daily protein intake. With analysts forecasting that the global protein ingredients’ market will reach $47.4 billion by 2032, there’s no doubt that this macronutrient is having a moment. We have become protein-obsessed but it’s not all about meat. 



Plant-based options are coming into their own as biotech companies create innovative ingredients that mimic animal meat characteristics while meeting consumer protein needs. A great example is heme, the molecule that gives meat its characteristic color and flavor. Heme is also found in plants and microorganisms so through fermentation or genetic engineering, it can be produced from plant or microbial sources. When heme is added to plant-based meat, it becomes eerily similar to the real thing. It’s an incredibly complex process that’s hard to scale, which is why Arturo Elizondo, the co-founder and CEO of The EVERY Company, started with an egg.



One of the biggest obstacles with bio-based products is the ‘valley of death’. Many innovative products die before they hit the market. “It’s one of the challenges with alternative proteins,” explains Elizondo. “So, our big focus, from the beginning, was choosing a technology that could scale; that had already scaled globally.” This is one of the reasons Elizondo chose fermentation for The EVERY Company – he could plug into existing, large-scale fermentation facilities without spending millions of dollars.



“Brewers use yeast to convert sugar into alcohol; we can use yeast to convert sugar into protein,” he says.



Protein is a megatrend that isn’t going away anytime soon. Elizondo says that even though it’s a big part of diet culture – both the keto and the caveman eating plans focus heavily on protein – there are benefits beyond satiety. “It’s the only macromolecule that hasn’t been demonized,” he says. “There are four macromolecules – protein, fats, carbohydrates and alcohol. Fats, carbs and alcohol are all controversial, but protein has maintained its halo.” There’s also the fact that globally, diets are dominated largely by animal proteins which, when farmed industrially, have a significant impact on the environment. “We have to start evolving the way we product protein because the demand isn’t going away,” he adds. As an alternative to the factory farming model, Elizondo believes we can use technology to produce protein in a healthier and more sustainable way. It’s not only about making products that look and taste similar to something else, he says that technology, in the long run, can create better food (and food systems) designed for humans.



One of the proteins Elizondo’s company is relooking is the egg. Although egg consumption in Africa is beyond the global average, it’s estimated that around 1.6 trillion eggs enter the market every year. “And it’s not suddenly going to stop. We’re not all going to start eating lentils and tofu,” he laughs. What makes The EVERY Company a little different is that it is an ingredients company. They’re not simply producing a consumer facing substitute for eggs (although they do have a few), they’re working with major industry players to integrate EVERY Company’s alternative protein ingredient into existing products and supply chains. 



“The unsexy thing about food is the supply chain. When the Covid pandemic happened and countries shut down their borders, it was a big wake-up call for the companies who import their animal protein,” says Elizondo. Another challenge is avian influenza, also known as bird flu. The poultry industry suffers, the price of eggs goes up and the manufacturers that use eggs are forced to adjust production schedules or reformulate recipes to cope with shortages. 



“How do we build a more resilient food system that can withstand the pressures of pandemics, climate change and zoonotic diseases? It’s a very fragile system,” he says. 



At the same time, many big food companies have ESG targets to cut carbon emissions and keep their supply chains steady. This usually means more consistent sourcing, avoiding rushed shipping and relying less on resource-heavy practices (like industrial egg farming which produces high levels of waste and emissions). “This is why we exist and how we can make impact at scale. We can support the entire industry and not be seen as adversarial. We’re building a better food system,” he says. For Elizondo, this is the future of food. In addition to working with major food producers on the ingredients side, The EVERY Company will be entering the mass market in 2025 with the EVERY Egg, the world’s first liquid egg made without hens. It’s not an elitist product that only expensive grocery stores will carry but rather an item everyone can find, afford and most importantly, eat.



Functionality first



As an industry, plant-based protein companies face a lot of challenges. In France, the words ‘steak’, ‘bacon’, and ‘sausage’ have been outlawed for meat alternatives. In South Africa, the High Court overturned an attempt by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) to impose similar restrictions. The issue took two years to resolve, and certain products were removed in the interim from retail shelves.



“This is why it’s so important to partner with the incumbents and work with them, not against them. There’s this huge gap in ingredients that no one talks about and that’s where our focus lies. It’s not about taste, it’s about functionality,” says Elizondo. “If you look at ingredient labels, it’s almost impossible to avoid eggs, they’re everywhere because they’re functional. They foam, bind and gel in ways that nothing else can.”



Eggs may seem like an impossible ingredient to replace but that’s where the biggest opportunity for The EVERY Company lies. In some ways, Elizondo compares the path he’s following to insulin. In 1922, insulin came from the pancreatic tissue of cows (and later pigs). It was produced at scale by Eli Lily to treat diabetes but still came from animals. But then, in 1978, the first genetically engineered, synthetic ‘human’ insulin was produced using E. coli bacteria. “This company found a way to make insulin through protein fermentation technology and within 15 years, it dominated the market. And now, 99% of insulin in the world is made using the same technology,” says Elizondo. Protein fermentation technology moved to the cheese industry and replaced animal rennet with bio-identical chymosin, an enzyme essential for curdling milk. It’s a technique also used to create vitamins and to extend the freshness of baked goods by synthesizing enzymes that improve texture and shelf life. Protein is more than a megatrend, “it’s the best-kept secret in the food industry,” exclaims Elizondo. “And if we can make these ingredients a little bit better, a little bit safer, a little bit more sustainable, that’s worth fighting for.”

Arturo Elizondo in The EVERY kitchen; Image supplied

The Future Of Food: Hatching A Protein Revolution

The technology scene on the continent is thriving, producing billion-dollar businesses that are transforming the digital landscape.



The word ‘unicorn’, synonymous with an entity that is &nbsp;rare and legendary, is the ideal way to depict startups valued at over $1 billion. Traditionally associated with Silicon Valley in the U.S., unicorns are now emerging across Africa, driven by rapid mobile adoption, a growing demand for financial services and an unstoppable entrepreneurial spirit.



These companies are pioneering solutions that respond directly to the needs of African markets, but are making waves far beyond the continent’s borders, while simultaneously attracting global investors and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the digital economy.



From Nigeria’s tech innovators to Egypt’s fintech pioneers, these African unicorns are transforming industries like banking, e-commerce, and digital payments.



Here’s a look at the businesses that are reshaping the way people and companies engage with technology in Africa and beyond:



Moniepoint – Nigeria’s Newest Unicorn



Fintech company, Moniepoint recently crossed the $1 billion mark after securing $110 million in funding, with Google’s Africa Investment Fund as one of its investors. Initially a banking infrastructure provider, Moniepoint now offers a full suite of digital banking services. It’s revolutionizing access to payments, foreign exchange, and credit, all thanks to Africa’s growing mobile connectivity.



Interswitch – A Pioneer in the Tech Scene



Founded in 2002, Nigeria’s Interswitch paved the way for digital payments in Africa and became one of the continent’s earliest unicorns, in 2019, with a reported valuation at $1 billion. Known for its Verve Card, Interswitch provides interbank transaction services, identity verification, and government infrastructure. The company has honed in on its mission to make financial transactions seamless across Africa.



Flutterwave – Simplifying Global and Local Payments



Flutterwave, founded in 2016, became a game-changer in payment solutions for businesses with its last public valuation at around $3 billion. Focused on simplifying international payments, it now empowers African entrepreneurs through tools like its Flutterwave stores and Disha, a platform for content creators. The company’s mission is simple but powerful: to ensure that’s it’s easier to do business with Africa.



OPay – A Fintech Powerhouse



OPay, founded by Opera and Balder Investment, quickly became a popular name in Nigeria and is valued at over $2 billion. After pivoting from ride-hailing to focus solely on fintech, OPay now offers services like airtime top-ups, microloans, and bill payments to over 18 million users. Its agent network is vast, enabling financial services even in remote areas.



Andela – Shaping Africa’s Tech Talent



Andela’s journey began in 2014 with a bold mission: to train Africa’s brightest developers and connect them with global companies. Today, it’s a talent marketplace, with a last reported valuation of around $1.5 billion, that places experienced engineers with top firms worldwide. Andela has moved from solely filling the global tech talent gap to &nbsp;also proving Africa’s potential on the world stage.



Wave – Senegal’s Mobile Money Innovation



Wave Senegal has reshaped the mobile money market in Francophone Africa, challenging telecom giants with its affordable, user-friendly platform. With lower fees and easy-to-use services, the startup, reportedly valued at over $1.7 billion, has seemingly become indispensable, making financial transactions more accessible for millions of users.



MNT-Halan – A Formidable Fintech Business in Egypt



The $1 billion valued MNT-Halan, as reported online, formed from a merger between ride-hailing and microlending platforms, is a leading force in fintech innovation in Egypt. Focused on loans, digital wallets, and B2B e-commerce, MNT-Halan provides vital financial services for individuals and businesses alike, making financial inclusion a reality.



Chipper Cash – Connecting Africa’s Financial Ecosystem



Chipper Cash, valued at around $2.2 billion, is breaking down financial borders with its cross-border payment services. Boasting over five million users, the app enables easy transfers, bill payments, and even crypto trading across Africa.

Untitled design (5)

The African Tech Unicorns Leading The Way Towards An Innovative Future

A tumbler that reminds you to drink water and an 18k-gold ring that helps make your payments. Whatever’s next?



<div class="wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="972" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Apple-Watch-Hermes-1024x972.png" alt="" class="wp-image-64055 size-full" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Apple-Watch-Hermes-1024x972.png 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Apple-Watch-Hermes-300x285.png 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Apple-Watch-Hermes-768x729.png 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Apple-Watch-Hermes-1536x1458.png 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Apple-Watch-Hermes.png 1852w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
Apple Watch Hermès



The Apple Watch Hermès Series 10 comes in the signature Hermès orange box, available at Apple or Hermès. The new model supports sleep apnea and wrist temperature, a 6m-depth gauge, on-device Siri, precision inding for Find My and fast charging. Unique Her- mès touches include a silver titanium finish, logo on the back, two watch straps including a leather Hermès one that can be single or double tour, and exclusive watch faces.



Price: from $1,249.
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<div class="wp-block-media-text has-media-on-the-right is-stacked-on-mobile"><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition



Amazon has released its first-ever color screen Kindle called the Kindle Colorsot Signature Edition. It promises eight weeks of battery life, improved speed and contrast, supports pinch to zoom and increased display sizes. The seven-inch display is optimized for reading without glare, suited for travel guides, cookbooks, comics, or graphic novels. Highlighting can be done in yellow, orange, pink or blue, plus searching by color. It is waterproof, features USB-C and wireless charging.



Price: $279.99
</div><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="993" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Amazon-Kindle-Colorsoft-1024x993.png" alt="" class="wp-image-64054 size-full" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Amazon-Kindle-Colorsoft-1024x993.png 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Amazon-Kindle-Colorsoft-300x291.png 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Amazon-Kindle-Colorsoft-768x745.png 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Amazon-Kindle-Colorsoft-1536x1490.png 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Amazon-Kindle-Colorsoft.png 1670w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure></div>



<div class="wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="760" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Asus-Zenbook-S14-1024x760.png" alt="" class="wp-image-64056 size-full" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Asus-Zenbook-S14-1024x760.png 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Asus-Zenbook-S14-300x223.png 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Asus-Zenbook-S14-768x570.png 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Asus-Zenbook-S14-1536x1140.png 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Asus-Zenbook-S14.png 1886w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
ASUS ZenBook S14



The ASUS Zenbook S14 Copilot+ PC is a premium Windows 11 laptop from ASUS that features an all-metal 1.1cm thin body that is 1.2kg light. The new Intel Core Ultra 7 chipset and AI Boost powers its AI features like productivity assistance, text and image creation, faster photo and video edits, and built-in security, while its vapor chamber keeps it cool. It has a 3K display, 72Wh battery, large touchpad and Harman Kardon sound.



Price: $1,299
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<div class="wp-block-media-text has-media-on-the-right is-stacked-on-mobile"><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
Meta Quest 3S



The new Meta Quest 3S virtual reality headset lets you turn any room into a personal theater. You can play standalone VR games, watch live concerts, experience mixed reality by blending the digital and real world, or cast games on to a television. It has multi-tasking support for YouTube, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, etc. It features a Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chip, 8GB of RAM, 128GB storage, up to 120Hz refresh rate, and 1832&#215;1920 screen resolution per eye.



Price: from $299.99
</div><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="636" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Meta-Quest-3S-1024x636.png" alt="" class="wp-image-64061 size-full" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Meta-Quest-3S-1024x636.png 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Meta-Quest-3S-300x186.png 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Meta-Quest-3S-768x477.png 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Meta-Quest-3S-1536x954.png 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Meta-Quest-3S.png 1752w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure></div>



<div class="wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="906" height="1024" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Samsonite-Restackd-906x1024.png" alt="" class="wp-image-64062 size-full" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Samsonite-Restackd-906x1024.png 906w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Samsonite-Restackd-265x300.png 265w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Samsonite-Restackd-768x868.png 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Samsonite-Restackd-1358x1536.png 1358w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Samsonite-Restackd.png 1682w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 906px) 100vw, 906px" /></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
Samsonite Restackd Carry On



Samsonite’s revamped Stackd collection called Restackd features a lighter design and larger packing volume. The 55cm carry-on cabin spinner with easy access has a front pocket for a laptop, tablet and other accessories, suitable for business travel. It includes two packing cubes and plenty of zipped pockets. At 3.1kg, it measures 55x40x23cm with a 3cm depth expansion. It features an integrated ID tag, TSA combination lock and comes in black, green, pink and navy.



Price: ZAR7,299 ($400)
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<div class="wp-block-media-text has-media-on-the-right is-stacked-on-mobile"><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
Hyperice Hypersphere Go Hyperice, known for its health-tech products for recovery and movement, has the perfect travel companion called the Hyper- sphere Go. This TSA-approved massage ball is palm-sized and supports three speeds of vibration when you roll it over your muscles. Whether you’re in-flight, post-workout or at your desk, you can target muscles, with precision, such as the arms, legs, back or feet. It is USB-powered, has a two-hour battery and weighs under 500g.



Price: $99
</div><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="973" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Hypersphere-Go-1024x973.png" alt="" class="wp-image-64060 size-full" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Hypersphere-Go-1024x973.png 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Hypersphere-Go-300x285.png 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Hypersphere-Go-768x730.png 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Hypersphere-Go.png 1404w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure></div>



<div class="wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="720" height="1024" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Dyson-Airwrap-i.d-720x1024.png" alt="" class="wp-image-64057 size-full" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Dyson-Airwrap-i.d-720x1024.png 720w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Dyson-Airwrap-i.d-211x300.png 211w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Dyson-Airwrap-i.d-768x1093.png 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Dyson-Airwrap-i.d-1079x1536.png 1079w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Dyson-Airwrap-i.d.png 1310w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px" /></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
Dyson Airwrap i.d.



The Dyson Airwrap i.d. multi- styler and dryer is Dyson’s first Bluetooth connected hair tool. It pairs to a smartphone app for more personalized styling to automate the curling process using profile data such as hair type, length and skill level. The styler comes in two versions: for straight to wavy hair (T1-2) or for curly to oily hair (T3-4). The new Airwrap introduces three new attachments: the conical barrel, wave+curl diffuser, and blade concentrator.



Price: $599.99
</div></div>



<div class="wp-block-media-text has-media-on-the-right is-stacked-on-mobile"><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
Hobot S6-Pro



Hobot has released its irst window cleaning robot, the Hobot S6-Pro. The award-winning robot window cleaner is suited for framed, panoramic or frameless windows for an ei- cient clean-up. It has dual mops to polish and uses ultrasonic sprays for a streak-free clear inish. Safety features include an anti-falling algorithm, a safety rope and 20-minutes of back-up power. The microiber cleaning cloth is washable and the water tank replaceable, making it eco-friendly.



Price: ZAR7,999 ($438)
</div><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="1001" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Hobot-S6-Pro-1024x1001.png" alt="" class="wp-image-64059 size-full" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Hobot-S6-Pro-1024x1001.png 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Hobot-S6-Pro-300x293.png 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Hobot-S6-Pro-768x751.png 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Hobot-S6-Pro-1536x1502.png 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Hobot-S6-Pro-2048x2002.png 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure></div>



<div class="wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="711" height="1024" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/HidrateSpark-711x1024.png" alt="" class="wp-image-64058 size-full" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/HidrateSpark-711x1024.png 711w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/HidrateSpark-208x300.png 208w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/HidrateSpark-768x1106.png 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/HidrateSpark-1066x1536.png 1066w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/HidrateSpark.png 1276w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 711px) 100vw, 711px" /></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
HidrateSpark Pro Smart Tumbler 



The HidrateSpark Pro 590ml smart tumbler bottle stands out for its connected features. It syncs with Bluetooth to a paired smartphone and tracks water intake with reminders when to sip through its glowing feature on the base. It is vacuum insulated and keeps drinks cold for 14 hours and hot for four hours. It comes with a removable stainless-steel straw, supports the Find My Bottle feature to track it and integrates with fitness apps.



Price: ZAR1,799 ($98)
</div></div>



<div class="wp-block-media-text has-media-on-the-right is-stacked-on-mobile"><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
VezoPay Ring



A South African company is redeining wearable tech through its payment ring that works with Visa and Mastercard on iOS and Android. The ring is available in black, pink, white, silver or gold, which goes up to 18K gold, in either a slim or wide cut and a matte or gloss inish. It requires no charging and is secured through an NFC tokenization that encrypts data. Durability includes impact resistance and it’s water- and dust-proof.



Price: from ZAR2,100 ($115)
</div><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="728" height="642" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Vezo-Pay-Ring.png" alt="" class="wp-image-64063 size-full" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Vezo-Pay-Ring.png 728w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Vezo-Pay-Ring-300x265.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 728px) 100vw, 728px" /></figure></div>

Unwrapped Xmas present revealing tablet

Gifts For Geeks: What’s Next

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



Almost half a million power bank chargers sold exclusively on Amazon over the last six years have been recalled after dozens of reports of the product expanding, igniting, melting, overheating or smoking while in use.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2025/Charmast-Power-Banks-Recalled-Due-to-Fire-and-Burn-Hazards-Sold-by-Charmast-Exclusively-on-Amazon-com" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">recalled portable chargers</a>&nbsp;are powered by lithium-ion batteries and were sold under the brand name Charmast exclusively on Amazon for between $14 and $25 from December 2018 through September 2024.



Charmast has received 44 reports of the recalled power banks expanding, igniting, melting, overheating or smoking, and four customers reported receiving burns or blisters from the defective products, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.



The company&#8217;s recall says the products should be disposed of through local recycling centers for damaged or defective lithium batteries and should not be thrown out in regular garbage or in used battery recycling boxes because their defect poses a safety risk.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-here-s-how-customers-can-contact-charmast-for-a-full-refund">Here’s How Customers Can Contact Charmast For A Full Refund</h2>



Customers can call Charmast from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. EST Monday through Friday at 929-636-0293, email rcus@charmast.com or visit the company’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.charmast.com/pages/recall-info-page" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">recall website</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-which-power-bank-chargers-have-been-recalled">Which Power Bank Chargers Have Been Recalled?</h2>



The defective products have “Model: W1056” printed on the back and were sold in black, blue, green, mint, pink and white.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



Lithium-ion batteries contain flammable materials and can overheat, leading to fire or explosion. The batteries can&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nyc.gov/assets/fdny/downloads/pdf/codes/dangers-of-lithium-ion-batteries.pdf" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">re-ignite</a>&nbsp;without warning, even days after an initial fire has been put out, and can&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dfes.wa.gov.au/hazard-information/fire-in-the-home/lithium-ion-batteries#:~:text=Why%20do%20lithium%2Dion%20batteries,treated%20as%20a%20LiB%20fire." rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">release</a>&nbsp;toxic, flammable and explosive gases. Last year, at least seven people were&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/09/tech/lithium-ion-battery-fires/index.html#:~:text=The%20problem%20with%20lithium%20batteries&amp;text=%E2%80%9CSo%20when%20a%20fire%20does,these%20devices%2C%E2%80%9D%20Kerber%20said." rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">injured</a>&nbsp;in a five-alarm fire in New York City caused by a defective lithium-ion scooter battery, and the New York City Fire Department&nbsp;<a href="https://ul.org/news/ul-research-institutes-ul-standards-engagement-and-ul-solutions-commend-new-york-city-council" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;it responded to more than 200 e-scooter and e-bike fires—resulting in six deaths—in 2022. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said it&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cpsc.gov/Newsroom/News-Releases/2023/CPSC-Calls-on-Manufacturers-to-Comply-with-Safety-Standards-for-Battery-Powered-Products-to-Reduce-the-Risk-of-Injury-and-Death" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">received reports</a>&nbsp;from 39 states of at least 208 fires or overheating events that caused a reported 19 fatalities from Jan, 1, 2021 through Nov. 28, 2022.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">Crucial Quote</h2>



“Lithium batteries are generally safe and unlikely to fail, but only so long as there are no defects and the batteries are not damaged or mistreated,” Steve Kerber, vice president and executive director of Underwriters Laboratory’s Fire Safety Research Institute,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/09/tech/lithium-ion-battery-fires/index.html#:~:text=The%20problem%20with%20lithium%20batteries&amp;text=%E2%80%9CSo%20when%20a%20fire%20does,these%20devices%2C%E2%80%9D%20Kerber%20said." rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">told CNN</a>. “The more batteries that surround us the more incidents we will see.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">Tangent</h2>



The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reported several other recalls Thursday, including one impacting about 63,000 batteries used in lawnmowers and other outdoor tools.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2025/Chervon-North-America-Recalls-SKIL-40V-50Ah-Lithium-Ion-Batteries-for-SKIL-Lawnmowers-and-Outdoor-Tools-Due-to-Fire-and-Burn-Hazard" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Chevron North America</a>&nbsp;has recalled SKIL 40V 5.0 Ah Lithium-Ion Batteries after more than 100 reports of the batteries overheating, melting, smoking and lighting on fire, including eight reports of minor burns and/or smoke inhalation and 49 reports of related property damage. Also recalled Thursday were 85,000 silicone&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2025/Melii-Baby-Silicone-Spoons-for-Babies-Recalled-Due-to-Choking-Hazard-Imported-by-Melii-Baby" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">baby spoon sets&nbsp;</a>from Melii Baby and about 500 Elongdi magnetic&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2025/Magnetic-Building-Sticks-Sets-Recalled-Due-to-Ingestion-Hazard-Violation-of-Federal-Regulations-for-Toy-Magnets-Sold-Exclusively-on-Amazon-com-by-Elongdi" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">building stick sets</a>&nbsp;sold on Amazon.

Smartphones being Charge with Portable Power Banks

Power Bank Chargers Sold On Amazon Recalled After They Melted, Caught Fire

<a href="https://www.forbes.com/"></a><a href="https://www.forbes.com/search/"></a>Plus: A $13.2 Billion Shopping Day; Holiday Spending Predicted To Hit Record Levels, But With Slower Growth; Inflation Makes Shoppers More Likely To Use Credit; Avoiding Shopping Scams



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-this-is-the-published-version-of-forbes-ceo-newsletter-which-offers-the-latest-news-for-today-s-and-tomorrow-s-business-leaders-and-decision-makers-click-here-to-get-it-delivered-to-your-inbox-every-week">This is the published version of Forbes’ CEO newsletter, which offers the latest news for today&#8217;s and tomorrow&#8217;s business leaders and decision-makers. <a href="https://www.forbes.com/newsletter/ceo">Click here</a> to get it delivered to your inbox every week.</h4>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



The holiday spending season is officially here. Shoppers are tapping mobile phones, typing on keyboards, and yes, even going into actual stores in search of gifts to make the darkest part of the year more festive.



While today’s shopping event—Cyber Monday—is really just a name for sales, it’s still enormous. (According to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/internet-broadband/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Pew Research Center</a>, 96% of adults use the internet and 79% have a high-speed connection at home—a vast difference from the 2005 origin of the event, when people used their work computers to shop online.)&nbsp;<a href="https://capitaloneshopping.com/research/cyber-monday-statistics/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">CapitalOne predicts</a>&nbsp;that holiday shoppers will spend $13.2 billion today. In 2023, 94 million people shopped online on Cyber Monday, which was a 26.5% bigger shopping day than Black Friday.



Since the holiday spending season brings so much business—according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://nrf.com/research-insights/holiday-data-and-trends/winter-holidays/winter-holiday-faqs" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">National Retail Foundation</a>, it’s driven an average of 19% of total annual sales for the last five years for retailers—we’re devoting Forbes CEO today to what retailers and shipping companies call the most wonderful time of the year. We’ve got statistics and projections about what consumers are likely to spend and how it can impact the economy. I also talked to Jim Yu, CEO of BrightEdge, about how Google’s AI is impacting e-commerce this holiday season.



Thanks so much for reading, and may your registers ring.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-spending-projections">SPENDING PROJECTIONS</h2>



It’s high shopping season now, but the projections about how people were likely to spend have been coming out since August. The good news:&nbsp;All predictions have shown more spending this year. The not-so-great news: Many see slower growth than in the past.



According to the National Retail Federation’s annual holiday sales predictions in October,&nbsp;total retail sales are expected to increase 2.5% to 3.5%&nbsp;over 2023 levels.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/joanverdon/2024/10/15/retail-group-upbeat-about-holidays-expects-980-billion-in-spending/">Forbes&nbsp;senior contributor Joan Verdon wrote</a>&nbsp;this is a modest increase but still would be a spending record, with shoppers expected to spend at least $25 billion more than last year. NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said retailers are fairly upbeat and optimistic about the holidays, even though they’re concerned that shoppers will be more price-conscious.



Deloitte made a similar projection in September, expecting holiday spending to increase between 2.3% and 3.3%. Michael Jeschke, leader of Deloitte’s Retail &amp; Consumer Products Practice,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/joanverdon/2024/09/12/moderate-holiday-sales-growth-of-23-to-33-forecast-by-deloitte/">told Verdon</a>&nbsp;in an interview about this forecast that they see a “return to normal spending” in 2024—more in line with the last 10 to 15 years in terms of growth than the previous three, which were all deeply impacted by the pandemic and its after effects. But still, Deloitte found that consumers plan to spend an average of $1,778 this holiday season—8% more than 2023—with the largest increases on experiences, decor and holiday clothing.



In August,&nbsp;Salesforce predicted online global holiday sales of $1.19 trillion, growth of just 2%&nbsp;from 2023’s $1.17 trillion,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/joanverdon/2024/08/29/holiday-online-sales-expected-to-increase-2-to-119-trillion/">wrote&nbsp;Forbes&nbsp;senior contributor Joan Verdon</a>. Adobe’s online forecast, made about a month later in September, predicts a record $240.8 billion in online spending in the U.S., an increase of 8.4% over 2023,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/joanverdon/2024/09/25/adobe-expects-record-online-holiday-sales-of-2408-billion-up-8/">Verdon wrote in another article</a>. Patrick Brown, Adobe’s vice president of growth marketing and insights, told Verdon that they anticipate consumers to do more splurging on bigger ticket items—and more deep discounts coming on them this year.



The spending got off to a rousing start last week.&nbsp;Black Friday online sales approached $11 billion—an increase of more than 10%,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/joanverdon/2024/11/30/black-friday-online-sales-up-10-as-in-store-traffic-falls-8/">Verdon reported</a>&nbsp;from Adobe Analytics and Salesforce data. But there was a loser on Black Friday: actual stores. There was an 8.2% drop in in-store traffic, according to Sensormatic Solutions. Grant Gustafson, Sensormatic’s head of retail and analytics, told Verdon this was likely caused by retailers improving their online shopping experiences and spreading sales to the entire week.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-economic-indicators">ECONOMIC INDICATORS</h2>



While analysts predict that more money will be spent this year,&nbsp;consumers have also borne the brunt of inflation for the last several years. Prices of most items, from food and fuel to gifts and experiences, are still a little more expensive—something that could make a big difference in what people spend.



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/sharonedelson/2024/10/07/consumers-start-holiday-shopping-early-but-high-prices-on-essentials-drives-cutbacks/">Forbes&nbsp;senior contributor Sharon Edelson reported on</a>&nbsp;a survey from ESW at the beginning of October that found 61% of consumers said they planned to spend more than $600 this holiday season, but 47% said the&nbsp;high prices of food and fuel will lead them to spend less than they would otherwise.



Salesforce&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/joanverdon/2024/08/29/holiday-online-sales-expected-to-increase-2-to-119-trillion/">predicted back in August</a>&nbsp;that value will be top-of-mind for consumers this year, with&nbsp;one in five online purchases expected to be made on a Chinese-headquartered shopping app: namely Temu, Shein and TikTok. In August, 63% of consumers had made purchases from one of these apps during the previous six months, and half had already planned to buy from them during the holiday season. Salesforce said TikTok was likely to be the big winner; its customer base increased 24% between April and August.



Deloitte’s Jeschke&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/joanverdon/2024/09/12/moderate-holiday-sales-growth-of-23-to-33-forecast-by-deloitte/">said in September&nbsp;</a>that&nbsp;inflation is likely to have both a positive and negative impact on holiday spending. With decreased inflation comes an ability to spend more, but the prolonged period of inflation has eaten into many households’ savings, which could lead to more credit card debt.



An overwhelming majority of consumers—85.1%—said they expect to use credit&nbsp;or borrowing to make holiday purchases, according to Coresight Research’s Holiday 2024 Consumer Survey and Retail Outlook,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/joanverdon/2024/11/18/why-shoppers-are-using-credit-cards-more-this-holiday-season/">Verdon wrote last month</a>. Four in 10 expect to put the majority of their spending on credit, and more than a third are using credit cards more than last year, according to Salesforce.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tomorrow-s-trends">TOMORROW’S TRENDS</h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-google-s-ai-is-shifting-the-holiday-e-commerce-playing-field">How Google’s AI Is Shifting The Holiday E-Commerce Playing Field</h3>



It’s hard to miss the changes that Google has been making to its search results pages this year, especially when it comes to shopping. As the tech giant continues to improve its AI-powered search results, it’s doing more to impact what it shows to consumers. I talked to Jim Yu, CEO of SEO and content marketing firm BrightEdge, which keeps close tabs on what Google and other search engines are doing. I spoke to him about some of the changes and what they mean for businesses. This conversation has been edited for length, clarity and continuity.



What are some new things Google is incorporating in its e-commerce search results?



Yu:&nbsp;Google’s doing a lot in some of these commerce shopping queries [with] experimentation around YouTube. It makes sense if you think about multimodal content. If you are shopping for the new Sonos, buying a new iPhone or looking for a big screen TV, a lot of times people go to YouTube and find reviews. But it takes a lot of time to watch those videos.



Google’s AI overview automatically goes and looks at the video, watches the video, transcribes the video, then figures out what query is relevant for in search and summarizes. For example, if there are some pros and cons to buying something, it automatically looks at the video, along with regular reviews, and then summarizes that into the AI overview.



This is a very interesting hint into the future of AI. The last 18 months has been around large language models, which have been about just text. From a shopper perspective during the holiday season, you don’t have to watch all that stuff and spend a ton of time researching.



Is it doing a good job of picking credible reviews? I mean, anybody who wants to do a product review can, but I imagine that an editor at&nbsp;Consumer Reports&#8216; review might carry more weight than one from my neighbor.



I think they’re doing a relatively good job with this. It’s an interesting dynamic because on YouTube they have a lot more signals around content moderation. Bigger picture, you saw this evolution with AI overviews, where in the beginning it was using a lot of Reddit and Quora content—user-generated, creator-generated content, but with maybe less on moderation and authority. With YouTube, there are better controls and guardrails around the authority they ascribe to a creator.



What else has Google changed and added for the shopping season in terms of AI and search results?



There are larger AI overview panels. And by larger, I mean the real estate the AI overview takes now. We have not seen a lot of ads appear. I know they&#8217;re talking about that, [and because] the space that the AI overview is taking is increasing, that may be a precursor to having more real estate to add ads into that format.



You’re seeing more of the introduction of AI overviews at the top of search results, and a lot of times, integrating more details around the product so it’s a richer experience if you have a high-intent shopping query.



The product carousel, where in the AI overviews you can actually see different products, went up 300%. It’s not just describing products, describing attributes to consider, talking about the latest trends and things like that, but [it can] go ahead and show you the products that you can click through and buy. Those are going to be very important aspects heading into the holiday season.



What does this mean for CMOs and CEOs?



You’ve got to start analyzing this. If Google is important to your business, which for many people it is, especially as you head into the holiday shopping season, make sure you understand and monitor where AI is showing up in your portfolio of shopping keywords. If you have products [that would be in its] carousels, make sure that the product feeds you’re sending Google are in there, they’re timely, accurate and optimized because it’s pulling that right into the front of the AI. You want your image of your product and the information from your products to show up in that AI overview. And the best chance of that is making sure that you are feeding that directly into Google.



You also want to make sure you are very focused on the quality of the data and the content that you’re sending. Before, nobody was going to page two of the results. Now, you really want to be the trusted, accurate information that’s right in the AI portion at the top of that page.



One other thing I would [recommend], especially for shopping, is visual content. The trend here, especially in commerce, is people don’t just shop by looking at words. People are looking at pictures and videos and things like that. You want to make sure you are the source of that beautiful picture of that product and that is going to be another important element of winning in the AI-assisted shopping experience.

Google

How Google’s AI Is Changing E-Commerce For The Holidays

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



A federal appeals court has upheld a federal ban on TikTok that would make the app unavailable to American users starting in January, and while TikTok is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2024/12/09/tiktok-asks-to-pause-ban-while-it-appeals-to-supreme-court/">doing all it can</a>&nbsp;to reverse the decision, users still have time to save their favorite videos before they potentially disappear.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



Using TikTok on desktop is the easiest way to save videos created either by a logged-in account or that have privacy settings that allow them to be downloaded.



Videos with the proper settings on TikTok.com can be downloaded to a desktop computer as .mp4 files by right clicking and choosing “Download Video” (if there is no download video option, the creator of the video has probably changed settings to stop third party downloads).



On mobile, videos can be saved by tapping the Share button in the lower-right corner of the screen when a TikTok video is pulled up, tapping &#8220;save video,&#8221; and choosing from the list of choices including options to send as an email attachment, upload to Google Drive or save locally to the device.



When downloading directly from TikTok, either on desktop or mobile, a one-video-at-a-time approach is the only option, but several third-party services offer to save more than one at once.



<a href="http://repurpose.io/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Repurpose.io,</a>&nbsp;a software company, allows creators to publish videos simultaneously across multiple platforms after they&#8217;ve been made in the TikTok app, and also has an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@thekeirajones/video/7345992968609811755" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">option</a>&nbsp;to download every video made on an account to Google Drive, allowing creators to save all of their work locally.



A Chrome web browser extension called&nbsp;<a href="https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/myfavett-download-all-tik/gmajiifkcmjkehmngbopoobeplhoegad?pli=1" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">myfaveTT</a>&nbsp;promises to export all of a user&#8217;s liked and favorited videos to .mp4 files—and keep them sorted into folders as made within the app.



Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts:&nbsp;We’re launching text message alerts so you&#8217;ll always know the biggest stories shaping the day’s headlines. Text “Alerts” to&nbsp;<a href="https://tel:2013350739/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">(201) 335-0739</a>&nbsp;or sign up&nbsp;<a href="https://joinsubtext.com/forbes" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">here</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-watch-for">What To Watch For</h2>



How legal efforts around the TikTok ban, currently set to start Jan. 19, progress. The company&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2024/12/09/tiktok-asks-to-pause-ban-while-it-appeals-to-supreme-court/">on Friday&nbsp;</a>had its emergency motion for an injunction denied that would have stopped the ban from taking effect until the Supreme Court could decide whether to take up the case—and so President-elect Donald Trump could potentially step in to stop the ban after being sworn into office. Now, the company will have to appeal to the Supreme Court and the justices would have to issue a decision by Jan. 19.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



President Joe Biden signed a TikTok ban into law in April after increasing concerns from lawmakers about data privacy and its Chinese ties. Although TikTok has long denied having any links to the Chinese government, the new law said parent company ByteDance would need to sell its stake in the social media platform to stop it from being banned in the United States. TikTok fought in court, arguing the ban infringes on the company’s First Amendment rights, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit last week&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2024/12/06/tiktok-ban-upheld-in-court/">denied</a>&nbsp;its petition to review the law and upheld the ban. On Monday, TikTok filed an emergency motion for an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2024/12/09/tiktok-asks-to-pause-ban-while-it-appeals-to-supreme-court/">injunction</a>&nbsp;asking the ban to be paused while it asks the Supreme Court to take up the case. That was denied Friday. In its filing, TikTok also said the pause would allow the Trump administration time to weigh in on the legal dispute. Trump reportedly wants to stop the TikTok ban, but how and if he could is still unclear. On Friday, members of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/emilybaker-white/2024/12/13/congress-warns-apple-and-google-they-must-ban-tiktok-in-january/">Congress sent letters</a>&nbsp;to the CEOs of Apple, Google and TikTok reminding them that TikTok will need to be removed from app stores by Jan. 19.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-would-a-tiktok-ban-actually-work">How Would A Tiktok Ban Actually Work?</h2>



It’s not completely clear how the banning of the application, which is used by about&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/year-on-tiktok-2024" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">170 million</a>&nbsp;Americans, would work, but it’s unlikely it would simply disappear from the phones of U.S. users. Instead, the law would penalize internet providers and companies with App stores like Apple and Google for continuing to make updates available,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/article/tiktok-ban.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">The New York Times</a>&nbsp;reported, so the app would degrade over time and become unusable.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-can-changing-location-settings-help-avoid-the-tiktok-ban">Can Changing Location Settings Help Avoid The Tiktok Ban?</h2>



Yes and no. Even disabling location services or changing your location within TikTok is unlikely to stop the app from trying to infer an approximate location using other factors (like device settings), which may mean the ban still applies. Users who are able to use a virtual private network (VPN) to change their local IP address, however, may have a good chance of getting around the ban by rerouting their connection through another country. VPNs are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ceotodaymagazine.com/2024/09/effectiveness-of-vpns-in-bypassing-censorship/#:~:text=VPNs%20bypass%20censorship%20by%20allowing,the%20desired%20content%20is%20accessible." rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">often used</a>&nbsp;by people in countries with strict information laws to access censored information and websites.

In this photo illustration the TikTok logo seen displayed on

How To Save Your Favorite TikTok Videos—Ahead Of Possible Ban Next Month

Artificial intelligence (AI) holds transformative potential for Africa, but harnessing it responsibly is crucial. As AI increasingly integrates into various sectors, standards for robust governance frameworks are essential to ensure its ethical and beneficial use for all Africans. The United Nations University (UNU), recognizing both the potential and the perils of AI, is actively contributing to shaping a future where AI serves as a force for good across the continent.



While AI has the potential to revolutionize sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, and education, Africa’s unique challenges— ranging from digital divides to diverse cultural landscapes — demand tailored governance. Developing Africa-centric AI standards rooted in universal principles adapted to local contexts is imperative to address these challenges. This approach aligns with the South African Bureau of



Standards (SABS), which emphasizes the importance of context-specific standards that address regional needs while maintaining global relevance.



Several core principles should guide the development of standards for the ethical AI ecosystem. First, AI systems must be designed with human rights and dignity as their foundation. This principle is reflected in the work of entities such as the



Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), which has developed global standards for AI ethics that emphasize fairness, accountability, and transparency. Additionally, AI systems should respect Africa’s rich cultural and linguistic diversity, ensuring inclusivity and accessibility for all.



Second, explainable AI is crucial for building trust, particularly in sectors where AI decisions have far-reaching consequences.



Africa should emphasize transparency aligned with global standards such as those developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), which advocates for clear documentation and accessible information about AI systems and their decision- making processes. Furthermore, lessons from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) highlight the importance of developing explainable AI models that non-experts can understand, ensuring transparency at all levels of society.



Third, establishing clear responsibility for AI outcomes is essential. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) plays a significant role in this, providing guidelines that stress the importance of accountability in AI governance. UNU’s work on AI governance frameworks underscores the necessity for clear lines of accountability and mechanisms to address any adverse consequences of AI deployment.



The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) also offers valuable insights into safety standards and risk management, ensuring that AI systems operate reliably and are held accountable for their outcomes.



Fourth, AI’s benefits must be shared widely, bridging digital divides and preventing technology from exacerbating existing inequalities. This principle is closely aligned with the objectives of standards bodies such as SABS, which advocate for equitable access to AI technologies. The European Union’s AI Act ensures that AI deployment is inclusive, promoting social justice and protecting vulnerable populations.



Fifth, African nations must collaborate to harmonize regulations and share best practices, maximizing AI’s positive impact. UNU’s initiatives in fostering regional cooperation on AI are crucial in promoting such collaboration, ensuring that the benefits of AI are widely shared and that shared values and goals shape the continent’s AI landscape. Drawing lessons from the European Union’s collaborative approach to AI governance, Africa can benefit from a unified strategy that leverages regional strengths while ensuring alignment with global best practices.



Africa’s AI governance must be guided by robust frameworks that consider continental and global perspectives. The African Digital Compact (ADC) and the Continental Artificial Intelligence Strategy (CAIS), recently adopted by the African Union, are pivotal. These initiatives aim to create a cohesive and inclusive digital environment across Africa, ensuring that AI development and deployment align with the continent’s unique needs and aspirations. These frameworks help harmonize AI policies across African nations by setting clear standards and guidelines, fostering regional



cooperation and innovation. The ADC and the CAIS must be aligned with the Global Digital Compact (GDC) and High-Level Advisory Body on AI. The GDC emphasizes the importance of a human-centered approach to digital transformation, advocating for policies prioritizing equity, inclusivity, and sustainability.



The UN High-Level Advisory Body on AI provides strategic guidance on AI-related challenges and opportunities, ensuring that global AI standards are informed by diverse perspectives, including those from Africa. These frameworks collectively support the development of AI governance standards aligned with Africa’s specific context and resonating with global principles. By integrating insights from initiatives like the ADC and the GDC, African nations can ensure their AI policies are locally relevant and globally connected.



In conclusion, Africa stands on the cusp of an AI revolution. By prioritizing robust and ethical governance and leveraging the expertise of institutions like the UNU, the continent can harness this technology to drive sustainable development, reduce inequality, and create a brighter future for all. As AI continues to evolve, ongoing research, collaboration, and adherence to standards will be essential to ensure that this powerful tool truly benefits all African

AI (Artificial Intelligence) concept. Electronic circuit. Communication network.

Expert-Speak: Standards For AI Governance Are Necessary For Africa’s Flourishing Future

From the rainforest to the ocean, artificial intelligence is decoding nature’s most complex data patterns and is proving to be a game-changer in conservation.



For as long as there has been wildlife conservation, there has been a need for data. In order to understand ecosystem health, animal behavior and population trends, you have to be able to measure what’s going on in nature. And while there are many ways to do this, from drones to tracking devices, thermal cameras and even rangers on-foot, satellite imagery and camera traps have made study- ing wildlife movement a little bit easier. Not only can conservationists collect ample data, there’s minimal disturbance to animals. When it comes to analyzing the imagery, all that’s really needed is someone who can recognize an animal and there are many training programs to do just that.



But to really understand ecological trends, there are many creatures that are simply too small to be captured through pictures. “With very big animals like elephants, you can see them using satellite data which is great but a significant portion of the ecosystem is hidden,” says Dr Juan Lavista Ferres, who has worked in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) for over 20 years, and is the Chief Data Scientist of Microsoft’s AI for Good Lab. Luckily, those animals that are undetectable in satel- lite imagery make up for their size with sound, which is where acoustic data comes in – and in the case of ani- mal sounds, bioacoustic data. “From a noise perspec- tive, they are there,” laughs Ferres. “There is no corre- lation between the size of an animal and the sound it makes. Very small animals can make a lot of noise and can do very specific frequencies.”



<h1 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nature-s-silent-signals">Nature’s silent signals</h1>



There’s huge potential in environmental recordings (bio- acoustics are important bioindicators —they are nature’s health signalers) and the good news is that a lot of the data is already available. At the AI for Good Lab, Ferres and his team have continuous surveillance recordings from the Amazon that go back to 1992. The problem is that there are only a handful of scientific experts who can understand what is going on when the data is visualized, and then interpret the frequencies to identify specific animals. “It’s extremely niche. In the case of bioacoustic data, you need a huge level of expertise and there are very few people in the world that can recognize these sounds and frequencies,” adds Ferres.



Another challenge is that going through all of this audio takes time. Ferres says that many of the record- ings he has run non-stop, day and night, for 365 days. “A person would need to be listening to these sounds for a whole year to get through just one year’s worth of data. Now imagine that you have multiple recordings in one forest?” There’s simply too much data for hu- mans to process manually, which is why AI is such a game-changer in conservation – it’s making research a much more efficient process. AI can learn from these experts to automate identifying and classifying animal sounds across large datasets. “We can go through all of the recordings and understand how the health of the ecosystem is changing,” says Ferrers. “Now that we have more compute and better models, we can work with these different types of data, whether it’s images, videos or acoustic data.”



<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Under the sea</h1>



One of the AI for Good Lab’s first projects using acoustic data was with endangered beluga whales in Alaska us- ing underwater sensors. “You can capture the sound of these whales, their vocalizations,” says Ferres. Because sounds travel much further than visual cues, with acous- tic data, researchers can detect (and even potentially identify) different types of whales over vast distances in the ocean, far beyond what would be possible with visual observation methods. “There are particular frequencies in the water that will be very difficult to detect without AI,” adds Ferres. “You can’t solve a problem if you can’t measure it. By doing this, we can actually start measuring the problem.”



Working with different industries and partners throughout the world, Ferres’ hope is that now that the information is in these AI models, more people will be able to use them to track animals over time. All the work that comes out of the AI for Good Lab is also open source which means all of the projects are freely available to re- searchers and organizations worldwide. “It’s a complete philanthropic effort. We give up the idea. We publish everything. All the work we do is for the societal good,” he says. “AI is not just the solution, but sometimes it’s the only solution we have.”

Botswana. Woman photographing giraffe in Chobe National Park with tablet.

Work On The Wild Side: How AI Is Helping Conservation In Africa And The Huge Potential Of Environment Recordings

With The Spurt In Healthtech, AI-powered apps Are Now All The Rage Offering Groundbreaking Interventions In Africa’s Battle against Rising Obesity Rates.



It’s an issue that affects a bulk of the continent’s population.



In Africa, where rising rates of obesity present a growing public health crisis, researchers and innovators are now turning to artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tools to combat the epi- demic. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2022, 2.5 billion adults worldwide were classified as overweight, with over 890 million living with obesity. The problem is becoming especially urgent in low- and middle-income countries. In Africa alone, the number of overweight children under five has increased by nearly 23% since 2000, signaling a dramatic shift in public health needs across the continent.



One of the figures joining the battle against obesity through AI Richmond Essieku, a Ghanaian doctoral student at Texas Tech University. Essieku has reportedly identified 13 genes as potential biomarkers for obesity, with four of them already confirmed. His research is now being translated into a practical solution: an AI- powered mobile app, tentatively titled Generating Artificial Intel- ligence (AI) Based Algorithms to Model and Predict Genotype-by- Socioeconomic Status Interaction for Precision Obesity Detection. This app is designed to model the interaction between genetics and socioeconomic factors in order to provide a more accurate picture of obesity risk in individuals, particularly in Africa, where such nuances are often overlooked.



AI-powered tools like Essieku’s app are not the first examples of how AI can help address the complex factors contributing to obesity. Globally, AI has been used in various ways to combat obesity — from monitoring dietary habits to creating personalized fitness plans. In the United States (U.S.), platforms like Lark Health use AI to offer real-time health coaching, helping users monitor their eating habits and physical activity.



Similarly, Noom, a popular weight-loss app, uses AI to provide personalized advice and insights into user-behavior, which can lead to long-term lifestyle changes.



With the number of smartphone subscriptions in sub-Saharan Africa expected to reach 689 million by 2028, according to Statista, mobile technology offers a promising platform for AI-powered health interventions. AI-driven mobile apps can help individuals monitor their weight, track their food intake, and maintain healthy levels of physical activity. These apps can be tailored to include traditional African foods in dietary rec- ommendations, making them culturally relevant and easier for users to adopt.



The global applications point to the potential for similar systems tailored specifically to African contexts. Abideen Ola- supo, founder of MyAIFactchecker, an AI fact-checking platform based in Nigeria, highlights the importance of culturally-local- ized solutions. “We want to build people’s confidence in explor- ing how they can interact with AI to find safe and effective ways to combat obesity,” Olasupo tells FORBES AFRICA. “For a long time, many have turned to harmful concoctions that negatively impact their health. Africa’s unique challenges cannot be under- stood from the outside, which is why we’ve been researching the solutions people seek online. Obesity, in particular, is a sensitive issue that many feel ashamed to confront.”



MyAIFactChecker is one of several platforms working to ensure that AI solutions are tailored to Africa-specific chal- lenges. Olasupo explains that the platform sifts through different themes, including health and nutrition, to ensure that data is lo- calized and actionable. He notes that combating obesity in Africa requires integrating AI into the daily lives of Africans in ways that are culturally relevant and accessible.



AI’s ability to personalize interventions is especially critical when considering the unique challenges Africa faces in address- ing obesity. Many Africans live in ‘food deserts’ — areas where healthy food is difficult to find or too expensive to buy. Physical activity can also be limited by unsafe environments or long work- ing hours, making traditional approaches to weight-loss difficult to implement.



Africa’s healthcare infrastructure faces significant challeng- es, including a shortage of healthcare professionals and limited access to health facilities. AI is helping to alleviate these issues by offering remote monitoring and telehealth services for obesity management. In countries like Nigeria and Ghana, where access to healthcare is often limited, AI-powered remote health services could provide essential support to individuals looking to manage their weight.



AI-powered health apps are gaining popularity in Africa, also offering personalized recommendations for diet and exercise.



In Nigeria, the startup WellNewMe is using AI to provide us- ers with customized health assessments based on their lifestyle choices. The platform uses machine learning algorithms to ana- lyze users’ eating habits, physical activity, and medical history. It then generates recommendations to improve their health and reduce the risk of obesity-related conditions. For example, users can receive tailored meal plans, exercise routines, and lifestyle tips, all customized to their specific health profiles.



A similar initiative is underway in Ghana, where mPharma, a healthtech company, has developed the mymutti Mobile app. While primarily used to offer affordable medications, the app has recently integrated an AI-powered feature that tracks users’ body mass index (BMI) and offers recommendations for healthier liv- ing. Users receive customized tips on maintaining a balanced diet, increasing physical activity, and managing weight through simple lifestyle changes.



In Rwanda, AI is being used to improve access to healthcare in rural areas where obesity is on the rise. The Babyl Health plat- form, which uses AI to provide remote medical consultations, has been instrumental in helping individuals in rural communities access healthcare services. Through the app, users can consult with doctors about weight-related issues, receive prescriptions, and get referrals to local health facilities for further treatment.



Farming innovations to support the health sector



AI’s role in combating obesity extends beyond healthcare to the agricultural sector, where it is being used to improve the avail- ability of healthy, affordable food. In Nigeria, the startup Zenvus is leveraging AI to help farmers increase crop yields and reduce food waste. By using AI-powered sensors, Zenvus collects data on soil conditions, weather patterns, and crop health. This data helps farmers make informed decisions about when to plant, irri- gate, and harvest their crops, resulting in higher yields and more efficient food production.



Another example is FarmPin, a South African agritech com- pany that uses AI and satellite imagery to monitor crop health and predict food shortages. By analyzing data from farms across the country, FarmPin helps farmers optimize their production and ensure a steady supply of fresh produce to local markets. This, in turn, makes healthy food more accessible and affordable, reducing reliance on processed foods that are often linked to ris- ing obesity rates.



Public health experts are also optimistic about the potential of AI to offer scalable solutions for obesity prevention in Africa. Opeyemi Adam, a public health expert based in Lagos, explains that AI could help overcome some of the challenges of limited healthcare resources in many African countries. “Obesity is often thought of as a personal issue, but it’s deeply systemic,” Adam says. “AI offers a way to analyze large amounts of data and iden- tify trends that would otherwise go unnoticed, which is crucial in places where healthcare resources are stretched thin.”



Adam also points out that many Africans lack access to per- sonalized health advice, something AI could help bridge. “With AI, we could create more personalized health plans that take into account not just the individual’s body weight or fitness level, but also their lifestyle, environment, and even their genetic makeup,” he says.

Scientists Working on Powered Exoskeleton Project in Lab.

Weighing In On The Use Of AI In Helping Combat Obesity

<a href="https://www.forbes.com/"></a><a href="https://www.forbes.com/search/"></a>Hugging Face has become the launching pad for large language models but its popularity has also proven a draw for cyber criminals.



Security researchers Protect AI have found tens of thousands &#8220;malicious&#8221; models on Hugging Face, the Github for artificial intelligence.© 2023 Bloomberg Finance LP



Hugging Face, the primary online repository for generative AI, has hosted thousands of files containing hidden code that can poison data and steal information, including the tokens used to pay AI and cloud operators, according to security researchers.



Researchers from security startups ProtectAI,&nbsp;<a href="https://hiddenlayer.com/research/silent-sabotage/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Hiddenlayer</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wiz.io/blog/wiz-research-discovers-critical-vulnerability-in-replicate" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Wiz</a>&nbsp;have warned for months that hackers have uploaded “malicious models” to Hugging Face’s site, which now hosts more than a million models available for download.



“The old Trojan horse computer viruses that tried to sneak malicious code onto your system have evolved for the AI era,” said Ian Swanson, Protect AI’s CEO and founder. The Seattle, Washington-based startup found over 3,000 malicious files when it began scanning Hugging Face earlier this year.



Some of these bad actors are even setting up fake Hugging Face profiles to pose as Meta or other technology companies to lure downloads from the unwary, according to Swanson. A scan of Hugging Face uncovered a number of fake accounts posing as companies like Facebook, Visa, SpaceX and Swedish telecoms giant Ericsson.



One model, which falsely claimed to be from the genomics testing startup 23AndMe, had been downloaded thousands of times before it was spotted, Swanson said. He warned that when installed, the malicious code hidden in the fake 23AndMe model would silently hunt for AWS passwords, which could be used to steal cloud computer resources. Hugging Face deleted the model after being alerted to the risk.



Hugging Face has now integrated ProtectAI’s tool that scans for malicious code into its platform, showing users the results before they download anything.



The company told&nbsp;Forbes&nbsp;it has verified the profiles of big companies like OpenAI and Nvidia starting in 2022. In November 2021, it began scanning the files often used to train machine learning models on the platform for unsafe code. “We hope that our work and partnership with Protect AI, and hopefully many more, will help better trust machine learning artifacts to make sharing and adoption easier,” said Julien Chaumond, CTO of Hugging Face in an email to&nbsp;Forbes.



The risk from malicious models has been substantial enough to warrant a joint warning from the United State’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and Canada and Britain’s security agencies in&nbsp;<a href="https://media.defense.gov/2024/Apr/15/2003439257/-1/-1/0/CSI-DEPLOYING-AI-SYSTEMS-SECURELY.PDF" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">April</a>. The NSA and its British and Canadian counterparts cautioned businesses to scan any pre-trained models for dangerous code, and then only run them away from critical systems.



The hackers that have targeted Hugging Face typically inject rogue instructions into the code that developers download from the site, using it to hijack the model when it is run by an unsuspecting target. “These are classic attacks but they&#8217;re just hidden within models,” Swanson said. “Nobody would know that the model is doing these nefarious things and it would be incredibly hard for them to be able to trace that back.”



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrickcai/2022/05/09/the-2-billion-emoji-hugging-face-wants-to-be-launchpad-for-a-machine-learning-revolution/">Hugging Face</a>&nbsp;was last valued at $4.5 billion when it raised&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-08-24/ai-startup-hugging-face-valued-at-4-5-billion-after-fundraising" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">$235 million</a>&nbsp;in August 2023. The eight-year-old startup founded by Clément Delangue, Julien Chaumond and Thomas Wolf pivoted from running a teenage-focused chatbot app to a platform for machine learning in 2018. It’s now raised $400 million to date and has been dubbed the Github for AI researchers.



“For a long time, AI was a researcher’s field and the security practices were quite basic,” said Chaumond. “As our popularity grows, so does the number of potentially bad actors who may want to target the AI community.”



Update: Protect AI clarified that the number of malicious models it found was in the thousands, not tens of thousands.

Hugging Face Illustrations As Nvidia Announces Partnership

Hackers Have Uploaded Thousands Of Malicious Files To AI’s Biggest Online Repository

South Africa’s first electric minibus taxi, eKamva, was unveiled at the Smarter Mobility Africa Summit in Johannesburg today.



It was launched alongside an integrated electric vehicle (EV) business model and charging infrastructure called ‘flx EV’.



The prototype electric minibus is a project by GoMetro, Powerfleet, formerly MiX Telematics, alongside electronics manufacturer HSW, ACDC Dynamics’ charging network, and Stellenbosch University’s Faculty of Engineering.



The 15-seater electric minibus has a 70kWh battery capable of a 200km range for commutes; and 80% of its battery recharges within 45 minutes from its 50kW DC charging support.&nbsp;



Justin Coetzee, CEO of GoMetro, tells FORBES AFRICA that the journey started two years ago, when the world started going electric. “We asked ourselves, why isn’t there an electric minibus?”



Most electric buses available were 9m in length, so after a challenging search across Europe and China, GoMetro eventually found a Chinese model that could be turned into a South African-specific minibus.



“If we’re going to electrify the minibus sector, we’re going to have to do it ourselves. This is a proudly South African project alongside our industrial partnerships,” says Coetzee.



The flx EV website will soon allow minibus taxi owners and operators to apply to be added to the waiting list, while the flx app will let owners manage fleets, monitor vehicle status, prepay for charging, and find its nearest charging hub.



GoMetro will be taking eKamva on a roadshow later this year, targeting taxi ranks, associations, and hubs in South Africa’s Western Cape.



“That to me is the highlight – the industry is at the start of the journey with us, so we have to make sure that whatever they want out of an electric taxi, we listen,” adds Coetzee.



GoMetro plans to build a hub at the Century City taxi rank in Cape Town, and Stellenbosch, and hopes to have its first 10 to 20 electric taxis operating by the second half of 2025.



“There’s a huge market of private sector van usage for people movement, which goes beyond the taxi industry that we will be addressing, such as staff transport, hotel shuttles etc, but first, we need to get our model right,” says Coetzee.



Rudi Kriel, transport economist and Head of Programme at GoMetro, shares that the eKamva will either be sold outright, through a leasing model or a different type of model, such as purchasing the vehicle but leasing the battery, so the buyer still owns the asset.



“The battery will stay in the vehicle, but the ownership remains with flx EV. You just pay a subscription fee per month to have access to the battery, charging facilities and the like; it’s a model commonly used in Africa,” says Kriel.



GoMetro hopes the taxi industry will adopt the new technology on the electric minibus, which would ultimately improve operations, with its claim of up to 70% lower monthly running costs.



“At the end of the day, the taxi industry are business people, right? If you give them something they can save money on, they will be interested. And that’s the plan here, to save people operating costs, and to improve the environment,” says Kriel.



While no pricing has been confirmed for the eKamva, Coetzee hints at a ballpark figure of between R1 million (approximately $57,730) to R1.5 million ($86,600).

Image supplied

‘A Proudly South African Project’: Start Of The Journey For The Country’s First Electric Minibus Taxi

Spatial computing isn’t here just yet but it’s coming and we need to be prepared. Globally-reputed tech futurist, Cathy Hackl, tells us more in an exclusive interview about the new hardware. 



The first time most people heard the term ‘spatial computing’ was when Apple unveiled its Vision Pro headset. With a hefty price tag and limited availability, this futuristic piece of technology quickly got everyone talking. Who would buy an Apple Vision Pro? Is it not just another virtual reality (VR) headset?


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="alignleft size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="155" height="215" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Untitled-1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-63153" style="width:195px;height:auto"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Cathy Hackl</figcaption></figure></div>


“Most people don’t understand what spatial computing is,” says Cathy Hackl, a tech futurist and author who is often referred to as the ‘Godmother of the Metaverse’. “It is not one piece of hardware or one single technology.” Hackl explains that spatial computing isn’t VR or augmented reality (AR), it’s the future. “We are seeing an expansion of computing and an evolution of the web happening side-by-side. The convergence of all of these emerging technologies happening at the same time? That’s spatial computing.”



The computing evolution



Computing has already gone through an evolution so the fact that there’s something new shouldn’t come as a sur- prise. First, there were big, expensive mainframe com- puters that most people didn’t have access to. This was followed by the personal computer, a desktop that sat at your home or work.



“It was the first time that many of us engaged with a computer,” says Hackl. What followed next was mobile computing. Portable laptops and smartphones “and we now have a supercomputer in our hands that we don’t go anywhere without”, she adds. “What we’re starting to see now are other kinds of devices like facial computers, AI companions, smart glasses… but at the same time, the web is evolving. There was first the worldwide web which was followed by the mobile web and now we’re going into the spatial web – the metaverse.”



When you combine these three elements – advanced computing, spatial internet and new hardware being created – what you come out with is spatial computing. “It’s a 3D-centric form of computing that at its core uses AI computer vision, extended reality and a multitude of technologies to start to blend virtual content and experi- ences into someone’s experience of the physical world,” Hackl says, adding that spatial computing will not only alter human-to-human communication but also human- to-computer interaction.



And you can see this shift starting to happen with large language models (LLMs) and generative artificial intelligence (genAI). “For many years we have been adapting to technology but this time, it’s technology starting to adapt to us,” she says. “Spatial computing will result in new interfaces, software, hardware, data types and levels of connectivity. It’s not simply VR or the Vision Pro – that’s re- ductive and limiting. 



A new interface



Hackl anticipates that in the next 12 to 18 months, we’re going to see new hardware thrown at us – attempts at new form factors, new ways for people to interface with technology. She says that there will be big advancements in audio and smart glasses and although the mobile phone isn’t going anywhere just yet, there is a new form factor coming.



There are already companies like Magic Leap that are focusing on building spatial computing devices for the enterprise. Partnering with a mining company, they used their Magic Leap 2 headset as a worker training tool, overlaying key data into the physical world for immer- sive, real-time guidance. “With spatial computing, the physical world becomes the interface and that in itself is revolutionary,” says Hackl. “I think, in general, people are ill-prepared for what’s about to come.”



What’s next, says Hackl, is that we’ll be able to access data through spatial computing devices. “Accessing that data layer will be a huge step in human computer inter- action and it’s going to allow for more robots and autono- mous vehicles,” she says. AI plays a crucial role in this because in order to make use of big data, information has to be processed in real-time. This is how robots navigate the physical world; they use spatial intelligence and large action models (LAMs). The difference between a LLM and a LAM is that LAMs go beyond language by under- standing user intentions. LAMs can perform complex tasks through direct interactions with various applica- tions and systems.



Convergence, not AI



Although Hackl insists that spatial computing is still years away, we need to be ready for its impact. The line between the physical and virtual world has already starting to disap- pear if you take into account what people are spending their money on. For the generation coming up, virtual assets (like buying Robux, Roblox’ in-game currency) already have more value than physical assets. To reach this demographic, companies like Walmart have created entire worlds inside Roblox where an item purchased in-store will have a digital twin inside the game. Hackl, who was Walmart’s metaverse advisor in-residence, helped them with this project: “They’re starting to think about this new customer who wants to consume content as well as products and services.”



To prepare for spatial computing, Hackl advises that businesses don’t buy a hundred Apple Vision Pros. While it is what she calls an ‘early’ spatial computer, the headset will evolve and other technology brands will follow. “A couple of decades ago AI was in this evolu- tionary phase and now it’s revolutionary. Spatial com- puting is now evolutionary but it will be revolutionary,” says Hackl. “AI seems to be the word of the year but I think it should be convergence because that’s what we’re truly seeing – a convergence of all of these incred- ible technologies.”

metaverse

The Computers Of The Future And Insights From The ‘Godmother Of The Metaverse’

Xtalpi, a Shenzhen-based AI drug discovery company, saw its shares soar 108% on the Hong Kong stock exchange over the past week, boosting its market cap to $5.5 billion.



The stock price rise comes on the back of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.xtalpi.com/en" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Xtalpi’s&nbsp;</a>sales growth and its more than $135 million deal with Chinese billionaire&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/zhu-gongshan/">Zhu Gongshan’s</a>&nbsp;energy company GCL Group.



Known formally as QuantumPharm, the Hong Kong-listed company posted a 28% year-over-year rise in revenue to 102.6 million yuan ($14.4 million) in the first half of 2024, the company said in a filing last Wednesday. Xtalpi attributed the sales growth to the increased number of customers of its AI-powered drug discovery services. Its customers include Pfizer, Johnson &amp; Johnson, Sino Biopharmaceutical subsidiary Chia Tai Tianqing Pharmaceutical Group and CK Life Sciences, the biotech arm of Hong Kong billionaire&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/li-ka-shing/">Li Ka-shing’s</a>&nbsp;CK Hutchison Holdings.



Part of the revenue growth came from its first-ever milestone payment, at an undisclosed amount, from Signet Therapeutics, a Chinese biotech startup backed by Xtalpi and Forbes Midas Lister&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/richard-liu/">Richard Liu’s</a>&nbsp;5Y Capital. The milestone payment came after a potential drug the two companies co-developed for diffuse gastric cancer, a form of stomach cancer, received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to begin human clinical trials.



Xtalpi’s net loss, however, widened 46% to 1.3 billion yuan in the first six months of 2024 from the previous year. The company said it’s due partly to the drop in interest income and an increase in expenses such as the listing fees. Xtalpi has continued to invest heavily in research and development, spending 210.4 million yuan in the first half of the year, though that’s roughly 10% less from the previous year.



Meanwhile, Xtalpi in late August entered into a five-year partnership with Chinese energy and power company GCL Group in a deal worth more than $135 million. Under the collaboration, the two companies will jointly research and develop new materials in areas such as lithium-ion batteries, which are used in electric vehicles.



Cofounded by Wen Shuhao, Ma Jian and Lai Lipeng—three Chinese quantum physicists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology—Xtalpi combines AI, quantum physics, cloud computing and robotic automation to find novel molecules that could be developed into new medicines. Its drug candidate for primary hyperoxaluria, which causes kidney stones, is set to enter clinical safety evaluation for human in Australia in the first half of 2025, Xtalpi said.



Recently, Xtalpi has also expanded into discovering new chemical compounds for applications such as agriculture, cosmetic, healthcare, as well as petrochemicals and new materials for EV batteries.



The company has attracted investors from the likes of Tencent, Chinese billionaire&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/neil-shen/">Neil Shen’s</a>&nbsp;Hongshan (formerly Sequoia China), 5Y Capital, Google, U.S. billionaire&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/jeff-yass/">Jeff Yass’</a>&nbsp;Susquehanna International Group, Chinese tycoon&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/tse-ping/">Tse Ping’s</a>&nbsp;Sino Biopharmaceutical and SoftBank’s Vision Fund 2, among others.



Xtalpi was the first to go public under a Hong Kong new listing rule for specialist technology companies with smaller market cap and lower revenue, which was introduced more than a year ago to revive the city’s sluggish IPO market. After raising HK$989.3 million ($126.7 million) in its IPO in June, Xtalpi is set to be included as a constituent stock of Hong Kong’s benchmark Hang Seng Index on Monday.

Doctor holding tablet showing brain human and body anatomy futuristic technology

Tencent-Backed AI Drug Researcher Xtalpi’s Shares Double On Revenue Rise

Do You Prefer AIOr The Personal Touch? Some Insights On How Africa’s Hotel Sector Is Set To Welcome A New Era Of Hospitality.



Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the economic landscape and expected to boost global GDP by trillions of dollars in the coming years. It is one of the most significant commercial opportunities in the world. But how will it play out in the hospitality and tourism industry?



According to HotelTechReport’s State of Hotel Guest Technology Report 2024, 70% of the 400 hotel guests they surveyed said they still prefer the human touch when managing complex queries and 65% would like the technology in their hotel to be more advanced than what they have at home.



It’s a knife edge – on one hand, people are the heart of hospitality, on the other, ignoring the value of AI can potentially impact a hotel’s future. If a hotel can’t offer personalization, experience enhancement, chatbot support and AI-curated services, will it be left behind? Or will this make it an oasis where the lack of technology is the value-added service, whilst AI runs in the background, smoothing over the bumps and easing guests into their experiences?



Some hotels have already stepped into technology with immersive experiences and digital room replicas. “We launched our first use of AI for our meeting experiences called Meetings Unbound,” says Stephanie AbouJaoude, Senior Area Director of Marketing &amp; Communications – Middle East, Africa, Turkey &amp; Mediterranean at the Radisson Hotel Group. “We’ve leveraged AI technology to offer these creative and visual meeting experiences for our delegates.”



This is very much in line with what is being described as the ‘era of hospitality’ where personalization, engagement, human connections, and the co-creation of experiences are becoming the standards against which hospitality is measured.



There is a need for data, insights, and emergent technologies to provide the sector with the tools they need to ensure they meet the expectations of an increasingly discerning traveler.



“You have to ensure the guests you’re attracting are delivered what they’re expecting. Personalized experiences are absolutely essential, everyone wants that Instagram image, that experience,” says Neil Hughes, Managing Director, Providence Hotels, who also points out that while he does use a digital ecosystem to connect with customers, the use of AI remains at the base level. “I think people need human interaction. AI is cold – no matter how you load it with chatbots and virtual assistance, you will never achieve the personal level you can with a human on the phone. AI is valuable and absolutely can support personalization, but we’re not at a level where we will turn an AI engine on and it can handle everything from campaigns to customer service.”



A warm greeting and shining eyes.



Certainly, this is what most people would prefer rather than being caught up in a tangle of technology which is invariably frustrating and complex. Is AI ready to use the technology?



“The truth is AI is in use by the hospitality sector in Africa, and it is being used in really interesting ways,” says Chris Godenir, General Manager of Dream Hotels’ Peninsula All-Suite Hotel in Cape Town, South Africa. “We’re using it extensively in our back-end to manage check-ins, applications, arrival emails, questionnaires, WhatsApp conversations – we always provide people with the option to turn to a human, but we use the AI to the best of our ability in our business.” While AI is not comprehensively in use by hotels across the continent, it’s not an unknown entity. As Jerry Mabena, CEO: Motsamayi Tourism Group, says: “There are two types of guests in Africa – the more established, older market and the younger generation looking for unique opportunities. The latter is where I see AI playing a big role, engaging with this technology-savvy market and curating experiences for them. AI allows us to start moving into a space where we can draw in a wider number of people by creating iconic, African experiences.”



He adds that people are also now traveling for a purpose, seeking out experiences that allow them to touch the earth lightly and AI can help the industry prioritize and meet these expectations more effectively. However, there is a need to look ahead at how AI may negatively impact the sector. It’s not a plug and play solution and it brings with it a host of risks – some expected and some unexpected.



As Noor Kapdi, Chief Executive Officer and Chairperson Africa for law firm Dentons, concludes: “The AI industry isn’t regulated in Africa, it’s hardly regulated in other parts of the world, and this creates both opportunity and risk. There’s the ethics of it – if we know how people sleep, how they like their coffee in the morning, these are deeply personal insights and managing this privacy is challenging. The only way it will be measured is through the ethical standards of each country, and we have yet to see how AI will manifest in the hospitality industry or what the consequences will be.”



AI can ease the burden of back-end admin, smooth over the wrinkles in customer engagement, simplify customer onboarding and reimagine their experiences, but it is still so new, untested, and fresh that hotels stepping forward into its potential should approach it with a balance of caution and innovation. It is not a technology leaving Africa in its dust – the sector is very much aware of what AI can do. Perhaps, instead, it is Africa that would like it to remain in the dust, for just a few more spectacular sunsets.

Category: Technology