Snap announced on Monday that it is testing a chatbot feature based on OpenAI’s GPT technology for some users of its photo messaging app Snapchat. The My AI feature will use the most recent version of OpenAI’s GPT technology, which has been customized for Snapchat. The AI chatbot will first be available to Snapchat+ subscribers…
Nobody is immune to the generative AI wave, and everyone wants to be a part of it. Meta is the most recent company to begin testing AI-powered tools for its products. Mark Zuckerberg announced that the company is creating “a new top-level product group” to integrate generative AI into its billions of users’ services. Zuckerberg…
CS ICT and Digital Economy Eliud Owalo has established the first regional Jitume Laboratories in the counties of Uasin Gishu and Bungoma. The Jitume program is a government initiative that aims to provide young people in Kenya with digital skills, e-services, and online opportunities. Several ministries, including the Ministry of ICT and the Digital Economy,…
Dr. Jaishree Naidoo was in charge of pediatric radiology at a South African hospital in 2014 when she had an epiphany after reading about the use of AI recognition patterns in distinguishing animals in a news story. Naidoo was already familiar with pattern recognition as a radiologist with 20 years of experience, and she could…
The French-African Foundation has launched a call for applications for its 2023 Young Leaders programme around the theme “Unleash the energy”. The French-African Foundation, founded in 2019, works to develop generations of committed leaders in both France and Africa. Every year, it issues a call for applications in all African countries and in France in…
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Nordic Development Fund (NDF), and the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa have all contributed $47 million to the AfricaGoGreen Fund (AGGF) (SEFA) The funding will allow AGGF to fund more climate-friendly projects in Africa, such as the purchase of high-efficiency appliances and industrial equipment,…
The National Bank of Rwanda (NBR) has ordered all banks in the country to suspend “all crypto-related activity until a regulatory framework is in place.” In a letter to managing directors and CEOs of financial institutions, the NBR’s acting governor, Soraya Hakuziyaremye, defended the organization’s activities. Customers are left without the “guarantees and safeguards associated…
MSI, a global leader in gaming, content creation, business & productivity, and AIoT solutions with operations in over 120 countries, has partnered with Egypt’s fintech ‘Fawry’ to help businesses and consumers make payments. In collaboration with ABC Shop, ‘MSI’ aims to provide exclusively discounted business laptops for SMEs and startups with facilitated installment plans via…
The first Africa Digital Finance Summit is scheduled to take place in South Africa from May 24 to May 26 at the Sandston convention center. “The Future of Finance in Africa: Our pathway to a new Africa” is the theme of the three-day conference. The Summit will include a thought-leadership conference with participation from governments,…
Start Path Small Business, a new four-month initiative from Mastercard, will bring companies and entrepreneurs together to create and expand solutions that support simple, secure digital experiences for small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs). Startups are currently applying to the program to build cutting-edge accounting software, e-commerce solutions, lending platforms, payment technology, digital banking, and other…
African-based agritech firms can now submit an application to the GROW Impact Accelerator. The GROW Impact Accelerator, which is supported by AgFunder, is giving new foodtech and agtech companies a big boost as they work to address some of the most serious sustainability concerns facing the world. The accelerator program aims to speed up the…
Officials have confirmed that Starlink, the satellite-based internet company founded by billionaire Elon Musk, has begun operating in Rwanda. According to prior reports, the Ministry of ICT and Innovation announced that the high-speed internet service would formally start in the nation on February 22. According to information received by The New Times, the business will…
Due to the rising demand for payroll and other HR solutions, the global HR payroll market is anticipated to develop at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.2% and reach a value of $14.31 billion by the end of this decade. As more firms move their activities online, it is anticipated that a rising…
On Tuesday, Qualcomm announced the launch of a for-profit cloud software solution to assist businesses using its processors to track products as they move through the supply chain. The business from San Diego, California, is the biggest manufacturer of semiconductors used to link smartphones to mobile data networks. Yet Qualcomm has entered other markets, including…
Startup Wise Guys, a VC and accelerator company, has raised the first EUR25 million (US$26.7 million) of EUR45 million (US$48 million). This money will be used to support the company’s new strategy, which is centered on global markets that are still underserved by capital investment. Startup Wise Guys, an organization that was founded in Tallinn,…
Sophos, a global leader in innovating and delivering cybersecurity as a service, today announced the expansion of its next-generation firewall portfolio with two new high-end, enterprise-grade XGS Series appliances. The new XGS 7500 and 8500 models provide unrivaled performance and protection for large enterprise and campus deployments, broadening market opportunities for the channel partners that serve them. “Large enterprises are under…
Jumba, a tech platform that makes B2B building material purchases easier, has raised a $4.5 million seed round of funding. Enza capital, Logos Ventures, First Check Africa, Seedstars International Ventures, Foundamental, and Alumni Angel Network also contributed to the investment round, which was led by Local Globe. Kagure Wamunyu, co-founder and CEO of Jumba, revealed…
The Rice Business Plan Competition 2023 for Student Entrepreneurs, which offers student entrepreneurs practical experience and financial rewards, is now accepting applications. The tournament, which is organized by the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship, has grown over the past 20 years from nine teams from around the world fighting for US$10,000 in rewards in…
As the advertising-based business model that has long ruled the internet begins to fail, Facebook, the social network that was intended to be free “always,” and its stablemate Instagram introduced a premium subscription service on Sunday. The launch of Meta Verified, a service that starts at $11.99 (about Rs. 990) per month to authenticate one’s…
General Motors (GM) is a traditional vehicle and truck manufacturer, but it also keeps a finger on the technological pulse of the day. Also, GM has been granted a patent for a fresh innovation that would benefit users of touchscreen devices like smartphones and tablets as well as motorists. The patent safeguards GM’s concept for…
A Nairobi-based accelerator known as The Baobab Network has revealed its most recent batch of five investees, each of whom received US$50,000 in cash. The Baobab Network invests in early-stage software startups around Africa. Since 2019, The Baobab Network has assisted startups with capacity building and fundraising; its most recent cohort was accepted at the…
TechCrunch has learnt that Co-Creation Hub (CcHUB), the largest innovation hub in Africa, is establishing The Edtech Fellowship Program, a $15 million accelerator program to support and fund 72 entrepreneurs in Kenya and Nigeria over the next three years. The accelerator program, according to a statement released by the company, will promote and magnify the…
The most popular mobile app in Africa, Bolt, has declared plans to spend €500 million there over the next two years. More than 300,000 additional drivers and couriers will have the opportunity to join the platform in 2023 thanks to the expansion of Bolt services throughout Africa. Bolt, which debuted in South Africa in 2016,…
MobileMasr, an e-commerce platform established in Egypt, has partnered with Intercap Capital Investment Bank to raise $500,000 in a seed round from a group of angel investors in the media and telecom sectors in the UAE and Qatar. Mobile Masr, a marketplace for old gadgets and mobile phones with a variety of payment options and…
Three updates and new features have been made to WhatsApp’s Android app, according to the company. Features include the ability to share up to 100 media assets, longer group subjects and descriptions, and document captions. Any users who download the most recent version of WhatsApp for Android from the Google Play Store can now access…
The African Development Bank has opened a second Information and Communications Technology Centre of Excellence at the United States International University-Africa in Nairobi. This represents a significant accomplishment for the Bank’s Coding for Employment initiative and its expanding collaborations with institutions of higher learning as well as technical and vocational education and training. “The Bank…
A Nigerian insurtech firm called Curacel has raised $3 million in seed capital to expand into North Africa, which includes Egypt, Morocco, and other countries on the continent. Curacel’s mission is to bring contemporary insurance infrastructure to emerging markets. Tencent, AAF Management, Elefund, and other strategic investors joined Covergenius, Zopper, and Pie Insurance in leading…
In order to lower costs and risk for acquirers, Mastercard has teamed with Network International to address fraud, declines, and chargebacks. Through the collaboration, Network will make available to acquirers and companies in the area Mastercard’s Brighterion Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology for transaction fraud screening and merchant monitoring. Losses from credit card theft are anticipated…
In the present day data-driven world, businesses are increasingly turning to the cloud for data engineering solutions. Cloud platforms like as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and Microsoft Azure provide a wide range of services and capabilities for developing scalable and robust data engineering solutions. In this in-depth essay, we’ll look at how organisations…
Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) among other obstacles are faced with the inability to have a seamless business operation due to internet connectivity. There is a need to digitalise businesses for a wider reach and global influence. Service providers have come up with strategies to enhance internet access. 3G, 4G, and 5G are now the standard levels…