Should Africa have a say in the future of AI? The conversation surrounding AI is exploding globally, but where does Kenya stand? Safaricom's exploration of AI in their marketing and customer service raises important questions about the role of AI in the African creative economy and for Kenyan businesses. The latest Safaricom Newsroom podcast features a discussion with  Trevor Maingi, a visual artist who collaborated with AI for the company's 2024 calendar. Listen in and share your thoughts on...

Kenya is a rising star in Africa's tech scene, known as 'Silicon Savannah'. But with terms like 'digitization' and 'digitalization' floating around, what's the real story? 🤔 Safaricom's Joe Kanyua joins our podcast to explain the essential differences and how digital transformation is changing the way we live and work. This is the tech talk you won't want to miss! #SafaricomNews #DigitalTransformation --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/safaricom-plc/message

Safaricom Chief Executive Officer Peter Ndegwa highlighted the importance of diversity, inclusion, innovation, and authenticity in driving success and promoting transformative leadership. The Women On Board's Network, which brings together women serving on boards, aims to drive gender diversity and inclusion within board leadership. Ndegwa reflected on his experiences, including attending Princeton and taking over at Safaricom during the Covid-19 pandemic. He emphasized the significance...

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as one of the biggest trends in the tech world this year. It has enabled companies to understand their customers better and reach out to them. However, there are concerns that AI may lead to a loss of human control. In September of this year, a closed-door meeting of tech companies developing AI unanimously endorsed the idea of US government regulation. Wendy Gonzalez, CEO of Sama, believes that such regulations are beneficial for the world and society...

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a popular trend in the tech industry, with more than a third of C-Suite executives utilizing it in their business operations. Generative AI platforms like ChatGPT and Dall-E can perform creative tasks such as creating advertising copy and designing artwork. However, there is a debate surrounding whether AI is genuinely creative or just mimicking data. As more companies adopt AI, concerns about potential job loss and ethical issues like cheating,...

Taka Taka Solutions is a company that has invested in equipment capable of recycling flexible plastics, which has created numerous job opportunities for waste pickers. To mark the 50th anniversary of World Environment Day, Safaricom Newsroom engaged with experts, environmental change champions, and plastic solutionists to delve into the concept of a circular economy for plastics and how this year's theme of #beatplasticpollution can be transformed into tangible action. Safaricom Newsroom also...

As the violence raged in Kenya in January 2008, the media came under increasing scrutiny. One of the main accusations was that the media, particularly radio, was responsible for fanning the flames. When a prominent radio presenter was named along with politicians and civil servants as suspects to face trial at the International Criminal Court, the Kenyan media fraternity was shocked. Comparisons were made with the situation in Rwanda a decade before, where radio played a role in perpetrating...

A small group at Safaricom was on tenterhooks on the morning of June 23, 2021 as the company launched the M-PESA app. While M-PESA has grown in popularity and use since it was unveiled in March 2007, the app was a bold new step for the revolutionary payment solution now used by more than 51 million users across Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Ghana, and Egypt. The app goes further from just offering payment services and serves as an anchor app that...

When Caroline Masibo was a teenage girl, she did not see herself entering the tech space. But after completing her KSCEs, and during the long holiday in between, she started gaining interest in watching criminal drama. Her attention was drawn to one show in particular, namely ‘Criminal Minds’. In this show, an eccentric tech-savvy female character really intrigued her. “There was one lady I felt I related to very strongly because she embodied a lot of things, I believed I could be. She was...

Owning the space where you call home and stopping the monthly rent payment are part of the Kenyan Dream. Over the last 10 years, there has been no shortage of options for the person who wants to own their own home. There are property shows on TV advertising new estates and residences, salesmen and women in traffic handing out brochures for upcoming developments, and weekly sections in newspapers full of property on sale. Some people advise that the best way to have your own home is to...

Issues around the collection and protection of personal data have gained traction over the past two years. Everyone who comes into contact with personal data has a responsibility to ensure the data is used for what it was intended for but also well stored. Have you ever wondered what happens to all the personal information that you share in order to access buildings where your name, ID number and phone number are collected? Or those offer messages you get from restaurants and e-commerce...

Earlier this year, the Kenya Urban Roads Authority announced its intention to set up an Intelligent Transport Management System, which it had trialled at several spots in the capital city. The intention of the system is to improve traffic efficiency and flow and suggests, for the first time, that technology could soon come to the aid of Nairobi’s traffic problem. In today’s edition of the Safaricom Newsroom podcast, Evelyn Wambui sought to find out whether technology will help solve...

The most dominant story of the past 12 months has been about the pain of the pandemic. Economically, close to two million people lost their jobs in the first three months of the pandemic alone. In April, an interesting statistic arose from analyses of the spending and saving patterns of Kenyans with bank accounts: they had managed to stash away more than KES463 billion. Savings normally become available once you have taken care of your fixed expenses. The question usually is: after you...

As the world celebrated World Environment Day, the Safaricom Newsroom sought out Michael Koech, who is in charge of Environment and climate change at Safaricom, and Dr. George Njenga, the Executive Dean of Strathmore University Business School, to discuss how we can leverage technology for a cleaner, more sustainable world. Safaricom is one of the companies that has committed to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and reports annually on the extent to which it has gone about...

On the Safaricom Newsroom podcast today, we talk to three young mums and their families as they reflect on their lives during the pandemic. Happy Mother’s Day to all the mums and mother figures out there. You are loved and treasured. Asante Sana Mama!

In this podcast, the Safaricom Newsroom celebrates fathers and the different roles they play in the lives of their children. To commemorate Father’s Day, we got a few men to talk about the meaning of fatherhood and share their views on what being a father means to them. Keith and Allan have been fathers for a couple of years now, Don is about to become a first-time dad and Barry shares his hope of becoming a dad one day. We also hear from Dr. Gladys Mwiti, a clinical psychologist, who has...

Dating can be a complicated dance but quite fun. Has the COVID-19 pandemic raptured or spurred romance? Click play to know how couples are keeping in touch during this period. #SafaricomNews

Are you one of those people who are one pay check away from poverty? If the answer is yes, then grab a pen and paper. This episode on Financial Literacy is for you.

M-TIBA is a simple tool that is revolutionizing how Kenyans save and pay for quality healthcare. In this week’s podcast, we discuss what it’s like not to have access to affordable care, and how the mobile phone is making healthcare in Kenya more inclusive.

Can women really have it all? Is it time for businesses to consider the unique needs of female employees in order to close the gender gap and create a level playing field for women in the workplace? Three working women share their thoughts. #BalanceForBetter

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There's no question that data is one of the most valuable assets companies hold. And how businesses exploit it makes all the difference.