By Sizwe Dlamini
Yati Group CEO, Mfundo Mavimbela, has said that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will take 70% of computer-based jobs within the next few years.
Mavimbela was speaking at the first ever Yati AI Marketing Workshop, held at the Hilton Garden Inn in Mbabane. The workshop, themed “Unlock Faster Growth with AI Marketing,” explored how businesses in the kingdom can use AI to enhance customer experiences, streamline operations, and drive growth.
Mavimbela began by warning that if Emaswati don’t take advantage of AI, they will be left without jobs as AI is projected to take over 70% of computer-based jobs in the coming years.
“There is an urgency for businesses to adapt to this technological shift. I urge businesses to take advantage of AI in their marketing efforts to stay competitive and thrive in a rapidly changing world. The world is set to advance at a tremendous rate not seen in the past decades. The reason for this acceleration is AI. As we have seen, many companies are already investing billions into AI even here in Africa. The advancement is already here, we have already seen Eswatini making partnerships with major corporations like Google,” he said.
Mavimbela added that it is understandable that most people are scared of change.
“People are afraid of change. The gentleman who invented the camera hid his invention until he died, fearing people would see him as a wizard, but look at how much we use cameras now. AI is the new electricity, and we as a Kingdom need to get involved in it, as it has new possibilities for us.”
Mavimbela then introduced the audience to ten AI models currently transforming various sectors, with a particular focus on Generative AI. Ranked fourth on his list, Generative AI has the ability to create human-like content, such as text, images, and videos, and is rapidly changing how businesses interact with their customers.
“Businesses that use AI marketing tools are excelling we have our own AI tool SATI. The tool is localized and is helping YATI create marketing strategies for many local businesses, which are our clients. We need to take advantage of this” he added.