Building trust amidst suspicion: The impact of AI on business and society

Despite ongoing speculation and legitimate concerns surrounding artificial intelligence (AI), businesses and consumers have many reasons to trust in AI’s capacity to bring substantial value to their operations and everyday lives. The strategic adoption of AI in customer communication management (CCM) presents South African businesses with the potential to revolutionise customer interactions, improve operational efficiency, and deliver personalised experiences; however, it necessitates regulatory engagement and transparent communication to build trust and mitigate potential risks in the rapidly evolving landscape of AI technology. In the article, Wayne Toms at GhostDraft shares insight on building trust in AI amidst the suspicion.

Expert Predicts Sustainable Retail Trends for 2024 and Beyond

Figures from Deloitte show how important sustainability is to modern shoppers and consumers, with 58% valuing durability, 39% focusing on repairability, and another 37% considering how biodiverse the purchase will be. Vikki Makinson, head of marketing and communications at Oceans, the leading supplier of sustainable toilet paper, has provided expert insight into the future trends of sustainable retail for 2024 – from eco-conscious consumerism to circular economy initiatives.

Africa Carbon Markets Initiative (ACMI) Unveils Encouraging Progress to Drive Sustainable Development and Combat Climate Change in Africa

The Africa Carbon Markets Initiative (ACMI) is proud to unveil substantial progress and achievements made in 2023, underscoring its commitment to accelerating climate action, promoting sustainable development, and addressing the impacts of climate change in Africa. By sharing its progress, ACMI is doubling down on its support to African carbon markets, whilst also recognizing the incredible progres that global carbon markets have seen at COP28.

Beyond bytes: A socio-technical approach to data management is crucial in our decentralised world

The world is more polarised than ever before, with global conflict and geopolitical tensions drawing strong lines between regions and even within countries. These tensions are leading the world towards a trend of de-globalisation on a scale not many anticipated as recently as 10 or 20 years ago. The effect of this is that power and data are becoming fragmented. The answer lies in a socio-technical approach to data management. Lee discusses this approach in his article.

Africa’s most active startup investor, Techstars, Announces 12 new investments through its Africa- focused program in partnership with ARM Labs

Techstars, the most active startup investor in Africa, has announced its second cohort of 12 companies to participate in its pan-African accelerator program in partnership with Lagos-based innovation program, ARM Labs. Following a successful inaugural program, the ARM Labs Lagos Techstars Accelerator will build upon its commitment to helping entrepreneurs that are changing Africa and the world.

When the heat is on: Stress and psychological safety in high-risk work environments

Working in a mine is a high-risk working environment, and inherently exposes employees to various physical dangers, leading to a constant state of alertness and stress. Add to this the pressure to perform, worries concerning job security, fear of safety for oneself and one’s family and the constant fear of accidents – it is no wonder that the industry is known for the type of acute psychological stress that contributes to burnout, anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. In this article by Lani van der Merwe, Senior Consultant at OIM Consulting – Lani looks at the effects of psychological stress. She also defines psychological safety, the link between psychological safety and physical safety, and creating psychological safety.