Johannesburg welcomed the largest gathering of artificial intelligence experts in Africa

Africa’s largest Artificial Intelligence & Intelligent Automation event, AI Expo Africa, kicked off at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa 2-3 November and was a massive success.

This was the 6th annual running of AI Expo Africa uniting regional and international suppliers of the latest cutting edge 4IR technologies, from the biggest global brands to the smallest and newest local SMMEs. The core focus of the show is real world applications you can deploy today with an audience comprised of Enterprise and Government buyers, deployment & service providers, start-ups, educators, NGOs and ecosystem builders.

Nonnie Kubeka, Executive Director of the Gauteng Convention & Event Bureau stated that, “The Gauteng Region has a significant and growing tech ecosystem focused on 4IR technologies and we are really happy to see our regional SMMEs being represented in numbers at AI Expo Africa. The event is aimed at helping connect buyers and suppliers around one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy. AI is impacting all industries and certain aspects of society so its key we as a region, and a nation, have a focus on this sector as it’s a key pillar of our ICT activities and we want to showcase the local ecosystem to regional and international audience.”

With a community of 50k+ practitioners, the show format is built upon the phenomenal success of the previous annual events that have cemented AI Expo Africa as the largest business gathering of its kind, attended by Enterprise buyers, Governments, 4IR practitioners, decision makers, international trade missions, vendors, SMMEs and global brands.

Dr Nick Bradshaw, CEO & Founder of AI Expo Africa stated, “This was our 6th Anniversary Edition and biggest show to-date, with over 100 brands in the expo hall, many of which are local and regional SMMEs. The buzz since the launch of ChatGPT and generative AI trend shows no evidence of slowing and we were joined by a whole new category of companies and speakers discussing the latest tools and techniques that anyone can get to grips with. The show was attended by 1500+ delegates and we welcomed 50+ speakers plus a range of show features like; the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) Women in AI Pavilion, the Start-up Zone, a University R&D Poster Zone, a Gen AI / VR / Robot showcase all glued together by seven networking sessions and four Skills Workshops. We know that multiple VCs identified local tech companies they want to invest in and with new start-ups exhibiting at the show with one announcing an investment deal earlier in 2024.”

The GIZ Women in AI Pavilion showcased nine innovative smart technology start-ups led by women. The Digital Skills for Jobs and Income project implemented by GIZ on behalf of the German government (BMZ) is committed to empowering and improving young women and girls' digital skills and facilitating integration into South Africa's burgeoning digital economy. "Facilitating networking opportunities and showcasing inspirational female role models within the digital economy is of paramount importance to enhance women's participation in South Africa's digital transformation," emphasized Godfrey Nkosi, the dedicated technical advisor at GIZ.

Join us at AI Expo Africa 2024 at SCC on 30-31 October 2024. This will be the 7th edition of the show with approx. 1700-1800 delegates.

Learn more and register at www.aiexpoafrica.com