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AI is all about doing more with less and opens the door to new possibilities
AI is all about doing more with less and opens the door to new possibilities

Zawya

time12 hours ago

  • Business
  • Zawya

AI is all about doing more with less and opens the door to new possibilities

In 2025 and the second half of this decade, artificial intelligence (AI) will become a defining measure of South African businesses' success. Today, the technology touches every corner of the modern enterprise, from sales and marketing to administration and finance. According to a survey conducted by Ipsos for Google, AI usage is up in South Africa compared to 2024, with excitement about its potential now outweighing concern. Over half of the surveyed South Africans report they've used generative AI (GenAI) in the last year. Author: Werner Joubert, commercial SYS director (South Africa & SADC) at Asus This level of adoption reflects the impact of AI not only in large multinational enterprises, but also in small-to-medium businesses, fledgling entrepreneurs and lone professionals who see the technology's potential at any scale. Technology vendors have responded to this by creating an ecosystem of systems and solutions that help businesses leverage AI to unlock new value. With the right strategic implementation, enterprises can turn potential into performance. AI at any scale for any business So, how is AI all about doing more with less? At its core, AI is an exercise in automation. It eliminates the need for employees and professionals to carry out manual, repetitive and time-consuming tasks. Some of the most common AI uses in the enterprise today, regardless of the size or scale, include: - Schedule optimisation: Companies can use AI tools to optimise scheduling by consolidating factors such as employee availability, skills, preferences and customer traffic. For example, a business like a coffee shop can determine who and how many employees they need available to meet demand levels throughout the day. - Customer service: Chatbots and other conversational AI tools can provide business customers with additional support and serve as a dedicated portal for addressing queries. - Finance: GenAI platforms, backed by large language models (LLMs) that specialise in accounting, cash flow and taxes, can help employees process transactions and invoices more quickly, while also reducing the potential for data entry errors. - Personalisation and content creation: Every business has the potential to be unique. Using GenAI tools to create tailor-made content and promotional material, businesses can put their stamp on the landscape while offering high levels of customisation based on customer preferences, behaviours and market trends. From there, the potential applications of AI expand to cover all enterprise functions, across every industry vertical, from education to healthcare. As a business driver, AI has proven to be incredibly versatile and scalable, with businesses integrating it into their organisations in whatever way, shape or form they see fit. They're able to do that with the help of state-of-the-art hardware and digital resources that make AI accessible like never before. The right kind of tech? For many businesses in South Africa, AI adoption does not involve investing large sums of money in training their own models or running expansive cloud computing environments. Not every enterprise requires the same level of digital infrastructure to run and evolve. For many, the value of AI lies in simple integrations and the use of cutting-edge products that are readily available. We see this with the likes of Gemini and Midjourney, but the AI revolution has also given rise to innovative platforms and services that blend seamlessly and are work with existing enterprise hardware. One such example is Copilot, an AI-powered chat service from Microsoft that generates content and automates tasks, while also supporting users of other Microsoft technologies such as Windows, Microsoft 365 and GitHub. It is accessible via web browsers on multiple operating systems, including Windows and macOS, and is also integrated into tools like Windows and Microsoft 365. It offers general AI assistant capabilities that can help enterprise users significantly improve and enhance their workflows. Through services such as Copilot, technology vendors have begun to refine their value offerings and provide customers with solutions that are designed, built and optimised for AI in the enterprise. Laptops are now available with dedicated AI chips and OEM platforms and applications that further empower businesses and professionals. This is AI made accessible, and it has the power to transform enterprises of all shapes and sizes. AI is how we do more with less. It's also how we do more with what we have. By evaluating the value proposition of AI features and understanding the gains they offer, enterprises can not only make their organisations more intelligent, but also help employees and professionals get the most out of their hardware, adopt the latest practices and take their ideas and businesses into the future.

Tracking rhinos, one step at a time
Tracking rhinos, one step at a time

Daily Maverick

time16 hours ago

  • Daily Maverick

Tracking rhinos, one step at a time

There are only about 10 southern white rhinos in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park – not many, but more than there used to be. Historically, their range ended at the Zambezi River. Five bucks – US – will get you into Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park outside Livingstone, Zambia (if you're resident in a SADC member nation). It's cheaper if you're Zambian, but twice as much if you're an international visitor. It's also a bit more if you want to track ­rhinos with armed guards. That'll set you back upwards of $80 for a guided game drive and rhino walk, which includes return transfers and an experienced guide. It's included in the package at some lodges in the area. I stayed at Wilderness Toka Leya, a serene spot in the park itself, and tracking rhinos is part of the deal – along with an afternoon cruise on the Zambezi, sundowners at a special spot on the river bank and a trip to the Victoria Falls. None of these activities should be missed when you find yourself in this part of the world. You can, of course, skip the bungee jumping off the Vic Falls Bridge, the gorge swing, the zipline over the gorge, the whitewater rafting, the swimming in Devil's Pool, Angel's Pool or even under the falls. Not all of us like such huge helpings of vacay adrenaline. That's not to say tracking rhinos on foot, in the bush – their stomping ground, not ours – is without adrenaline. It's pretty scary, too. Wilderness, the conservation and hospitality company, works with Mosi-oa-Tunya and the Zambian Department of National Parks and Wildlife on the park's white rhino programme by supplying fuel for guard patrols and water for the anti-poaching base, and helping to clear litter. And it brings in tourism dollars. Historically, white rhinos did not exist in Zambia; their range ended on the southern banks of the Zambezi River. Zambia was black rhino territory, particularly in the Luangwa Valley, where there were an estimated 8,000 to 12,000 in the 1960s. But poaching was rife, and black rhinos were locally extinct by 1995. Black rhinos were reintroduced to North Luangwa National Park in 2003. Their population has since grown to 58. Several decades earlier – in 1964, to be precise – one male and two female white rhinos from South Africa were introduced to Mosi-oa-Tunya. By 1981 the population had increased to 13. But by 1989, all had been poached. A second subpopulation of two males and four females was introduced from South Africa in 1994 in exchange for 24 sable antelopes. Only one male remained by 2008 – the rest were lost to poaching, a drowning accident and failure to breed. To keep him company, one male and three females were brought in later that year. This introduction has so far been successful, resulting in several births, and by last month there were nine to 10 white rhino in Mosi (when it comes to rhino numbers, it's unusual for exact figures to be publicly available because of poaching concerns). Why introduce the animals where none historically roamed? Pragmatic goals: it was done primarily for conservation, tourism and ecological experimentation. After black rhinos were poached to extinction, conservationists looked for a flagship species to restore ecological balance and attract tourism. White rhinos were chosen because of their higher population stability in southern Africa. And Mosi-oa-Tunya was chosen for its high tourist traffic. The white rhinos brought tourists, and so revenue to fund more conservation. Win-win. There was a meta-population strategy at play, too: establishing a satellite population in Zambia would reduce the risks of localised extinction in their core South African range. Win-win-win. But let's not forget it was an experiment to see whether it was possible for rhinos to adapt to new environments with new challenges (such as tsetse flies). Mosi-oa-Tunya was a good choice for such an experiment. At just 66km2, it's manageable to keep the rhinos safe. They are under constant armed guard. Nevertheless, a three-year-old calf was killed by poachers before dawn on 11 March. People are understandably suspicious. A few days later, I went to see for myself. On foot in Mosi On a sweltering day towards the end of the month, the game drive I was on bumped to a stop under a vast tree. Our guide had just got word from the anti-poaching guards that rhinos were in the area, and they'd meet us at this particular rendezvous. It was just a couple of hours after midday and, to be honest, an afternoon spent lolling about by the pool held more appeal at that moment. But here I was, waiting in the vehicle for the silent guards to appear. It was so hot the air burned when I inhaled. Nothing moved, nothing made a sound; not even the cicadas. Sweat trickled down my back and I spread myself out as wide as I could. The air was hot, but my body was hotter. After some time – it was probably just 10 minutes but it seemed like a year – the guide whispered to us to climb off the vehicle. The guards had arrived. There, in the dense bush, almost melting into it. There are very specific rules if you're on foot in a national park or reserve, designed to keep you safe. There are no predators in Mosi-oa-Tunya, but there are elephants, rhinos, hippos, buffaloes and giraffes – all herbivores but all capable of doing you some serious damage. It's single file, with armed guides top and tail. No talking. Hand signals for communication. No bright colours, and definitely no white or red. You forget pretty quickly how hot you are, how uncomfortable. Here, you live entirely in the moment. We walked deeper into the veld and further from the vehicle. I could smell the sand, the bushes and grasses as I brushed against them or stepped on them. The musty scent of elephant dung and the sharp, acrid assault of baboon. I knew I was being watched, just as I kept my eyes on the ground, the bush and the guide in front of me. And then he raised his hand slowly as he stopped. He motioned us to crouch down and fan out sideways. There, no more than 10m from us, four flat-lipped southern white rhinos of varying ages went about their rhino business, grazing and grunting and kicking up dust. We watched for a while, until they decided to move on – almost directly into us. We crept out of their way; the guide took us around in a wide arc and we hunkered down again as the rhinos ambled past, in the direction we had come, towards our vehicle. I could almost reach out and touch them. Up close like this, you realise that 'tank' is the best descriptor. That and 'dinosaur'. For rhinos are tough as nails, their hides as impenetrable as metal, and they really look like they've been around forever. I forgot to breathe, I was so awed. Lucky, then, that the ever-watchful guide noticed and nudged me. Our afternoon was over and as the shadows grew long I stumbled back to the vehicle under the tree. I am not often at a loss for words, but that day, I was. DM Disclosure: The writer was hosted by Africa's Eden, and my flights were courtesy of Proflight Zambia. Accommodation was courtesy of Wilderness Toka Leya, Zambia. This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R35.

C&I Energy + Storage Summit Zambia 2025 launches in Lusaka - C&I Energy + Storage Summit is a project of VUKA Group
C&I Energy + Storage Summit Zambia 2025 launches in Lusaka - C&I Energy + Storage Summit is a project of VUKA Group

Zawya

time2 days ago

  • Business
  • Zawya

C&I Energy + Storage Summit Zambia 2025 launches in Lusaka - C&I Energy + Storage Summit is a project of VUKA Group

The C&I Energy + Storage Summit Zambia ( a landmark event for the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, is set to launch on 27-28 August 2025 in Lusaka. Hosted in Zambia's capital, this summit introduces a dynamic platform to tackle energy challenges and deliver sustainable solutions for commercial and industrial (C&I) sectors. About the Summit The C&I Energy + Storage Summit Zambia unites industry leaders, project owners, innovators, and financiers to advance energy security and sustainability. Following the success of the 2024 South Africa summit, this event connects pre-qualified C&I project owners with cutting-edge energy and storage providers, fostering actionable insights, peer collaboration, and strategic partnerships. As part of the Power and Energy Portfolio of VUKA Group, a leading organiser of transformative industry events across Africa, this summit will drive the SADC region's energy future. "Zambia is at a turning point in its energy journey,' says Chanelle Hingston, Portfolio Director of VUKA Group's Power and Energy Portfolio. 'With growing demand, policy reform, and a clear appetite for private generation, there's never been a more important time to connect buyers and solution providers. Launching the C&I Energy + Storage Summit here is about unlocking real opportunities—where energy independence meets economic resilience." Why attend? This summit is essential for businesses facing unreliable utility power and pursuing energy independence. Through masterclasses, case studies, and networking, participants will explore alternative energy and storage technologies to secure reliable energy, learn from early adopters about successful project execution, gain insights into regulatory frameworks and policy advocacy, mitigate financial and technical risks with expert advice, and build partnerships to accelerate project development. This event is critical for Zambia's C&I sectors, which depend on effective energy solutions. Key industries include retail, powering stores and supply chains consistently; manufacturing, ensuring stable energy for production; agriculture and agri-processing, supporting irrigation and processing; property development, enabling sustainable buildings; and energy-intensive users, stabilising operations for mining and industry. Download the programme ( Programme highlights The two-day programme features dynamic sessions and masterclasses: Day 1 (27 August 2025): The day kicks off with a keynote, moderated by Dr Johnstone Chikwanda, featuring a project briefing on energy strategies, followed by case studies where early adopters like Dangote Cement Zambia and Shoprite Zambia share embedded generation successes. This is followed by a panel discussion on derisking business continuity, featuring Helen Zulu, Zambia Country Director, ENGIE Energy Access, and Chabuka Kawesha, Vice President (South Block), Pan African Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Day 2 (28 August 2025): The day begins with a plenary and a keynote by the Pan African Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and a session on open-access electricity policy, outlining its economic impact and challenges. Masterclasses cover grid capacity and flexibility in an open-access era; navigating clean energy technologies, solar PV, and storage implementation; safety and sustainable asset management for solar PV projects; and analysis of Zambia's renewable energy tariff regime and cost insights, featuring Billy Onyango, County Operations&Maintenance Engineer, Kenya Power. Closing remarks explore the future of storage for hydro-dependent nations, addressing battery storage, climate impacts, and investment frameworks. Join us Seize this opportunity to elevate your energy strategy, engage with top providers, and shape the future of Zambia and the SADC region. Whether a sponsor, delegate, hosted buyer, or investor, the C&I Energy + Storage Summit Zambia offers unmatched value. For more information visit Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Vuka Group. For sponsorship or hosted buyer enquiries, contact: Marcel du Toit For speaking opportunities, contact: Babalwa Bungane About VUKA Group: As part of the Power and Energy Portfolio of VUKA Group ( this summit aligns with VUKA's mission to connect industries, spark innovation, and fuel economic growth. VUKA Group is a premier organiser of conferences, exhibitions, and events across Africa, delivering tailored platforms for networking, knowledge sharing, and business development in energy and related sectors.

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