Experts at TeXcellence call for rapid African AI adoption

By Sofiyyah Layole

Experts at the TeXcellence Conference hosted by
CWG, in collaboration with leading organizations have called for a rapid adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in African business systems.

The theme of the conference, "Future Forward Africa: Leveraging Technology for Organizational Competitiveness," centred on urgent conversations regarding the future of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in business systems.

Discussions ranged from powering global innovation to strategically positioning the continent within the rapidly evolving digital financial landscape.

The core message of the day was clear: Africa must embrace AI not as a threat, but as an essential tool for transformation. Speakers across various sectors collectively emphasized the now-famous axiom: "AI cannot replace humans, but humans with AI will replace humans without AI."

Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Mark van Rijmenam, a globally ranked strategic futurist, issued a powerful challenge to the continent, urging Africa to take a frog leap to rapidly catch up with global AI trends.

He stressed that proactive adoption, coupled with collective innovation, is absolutely vital for the continent to remain competitive in the evolving AI-driven world.

Mr. Austin Okere, Founder of CWG and the event's headline sponsor, explained that the primary aim of TeXcellence is to separate the hype from AI and help people understand its true benefits.

He noted that CWG's mission is fundamentally about democratizing technology making it accessible, less complex, and more community-driven.

Okere elaborated that the conference was established specifically to prepare individuals and organizations for the systemic shifts AI is expected to bring, helping them to anticipate, adapt, and ultimately thrive amid these profound changes.