American technology pioneer Dawn Dickson has been captivated by the resilience and innovation of Eswatini’s Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector, expressing a strong desire to return and deepen her collaboration with the Kingdom’s entrepreneurs.
Following an intensive week of AI-focused training sessions hosted in partnership with the embassies of Taiwan and the United States, Dickson noted that the raw determination found among local MSMEs has set the stage for long-term digital partnership through training.
“I definitely picked up a spirit of innovation and resilience,” Dickson said.
“The entrepreneurs were incredibly determined and eager to learn how technology can help them improve and expand their businesses.”
Dickson further highlighted that Eswatini is not just a participant in the global digital shift, but a fertile ground for high-tech growth, driven by a community that is hungry for knowledge and ready to lead.
She believes that with continued access to digital skills training, supportive networks and emerging technologies such as AI, the country’s small businesses have strong potential for growth.
“There is a lot of potential here,” she said. “The entrepreneurs I met were passionate, hardworking and very innovative.”
Dickson encouraged entrepreneurs to remain curious and open to learning new technologies as the global business environment continues to evolve.
“The digital world is changing very quickly,” she said. “Entrepreneurs who keep learning and experimenting will always find ways to adapt.”
She said with the right tools and continued learning, these entrepreneurs have the potential to achieve remarkable success.
While artificial intelligence offers many opportunities, Dickson noted that there are common mistakes businesses make when adopting the technology.
One frequent misconception is the belief that AI can completely replace human effort.“AI works with us, it does not do all the work for us,” she explained.
“There is still a lot of human thinking required to guide and programme AI.
It can make tasks faster and more efficient, but it cannot replace human insight or decision-making.”
Another challenge is the tendency for users to accept AI-generated information without verification.
“AI can hallucinate,” she warned.
“You have to check up on it the same way you would check up on an employee’s work. You cannot simply assume it is right.”
Dickson encouraged business owners to see AI as a supportive tool rather than something to fear. “Some people think AI is too complicated or that it will replace their jobs, but the truth is that it is simply a tool that helps people work smarter,” she said.
For those new to the technology, she recommends starting with simple, practical applications. “Start by having conversations with AI,” she suggested. “Use it as a brainstorming partner to generate ideas, explore marketing strategies, or conduct research.”
She emphasized that learning to create effective prompts is the most important skill for users to develop.
She is the Founder and CEO of PopCom, an automated retail technology company known for introducing facial detection and AI into vending machines.
Dickson made history as the first female founder globally to raise more than $1 million through equity crowdfunding and is among the first 25 women in the United States to raise over $1 million in venture capital. Her career spans over two decades, starting with early entertainment websites to her current focus on sustainable real estate development and investment across Africa.