Conference Organized by AI Technology Announces Cape Town as Host City
The AI Empowered Summit, taking place in Cape Town on August 7–8, 2025, is set to be a game-changer for South Africa's economy and tech sector. Held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, the event brings together business leaders, technologists, and creatives to explore the potential of AI in healthcare, agriculture, and small businesses.
The summit, produced by One-eyed Jack, will feature key speakers such as Bernardo Mariano Junior (UN Chief Information Technology Officer), Mark Elliott (President for Africa at Mastercard), Emmanuel Lubanzadio (Senior Director and Head of Africa at OpenAI), Kabelo Makwane (Country Director of Google), and Valter Adão (CEO of Cadena Growth Partners and Faculty at Singularity University Africa. Gaurav Devsarmah, Head of AI at Warp Development, and Steven Sidley, Professor of Practice at JBS, UJ, are also scheduled to speak.
The AI Empowered Summit is designed for business owners, marketers, creatives, HR leads, strategists, and decision-makers, offering them a platform to learn about AI and its practical applications. The event's line-up now includes over 40 speakers, with new additions like Folarin Aiyegbusi, Head of Startup Ecosystem for Africa at Google, and Beverley Schäfer, Director of Strat Diplomacy and an Advisory Board Member at SAAIA.
The summit aims to contribute significantly to South Africa's economy by 2030 by supporting digital transformation in key sectors like healthcare and farming, boosting small business productivity, and driving inclusive financial services through AI innovation and policy development. AI is expected to contribute R129-billion to South Africa's economy by 2030, according to PwC.
The conversations at the summit will focus on topics like fraud protection and youth upskilling, with Roshan Jelal, FNB Head of Fraud Commercial, and Rahul Jain, Co-Founder of Peach Payments, discussing AI and fraud protection on a panel.
The AI Empowered Summit is more than just a tech event; it's a strategic platform for accelerating AI adoption and innovation in South Africa's economy. The summit aligns with broader African AI and digital economy efforts to advance technology adoption, regulatory frameworks, and inclusive innovation that can generate jobs, improve efficiencies, and position South Africa as a regional AI hub by 2030.
Cape Town, Africa's leading tech and innovation hub, is the natural home for this future-focused summit. Alderman James Vos, the City of Cape Town's Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth, is supportive of the summit. Invest Cape Town and the City of Cape Town are official host city partners for the event, and the IAB is a key supporting organization.
The summit's social media handles are: Instagram - @aiempowered_sa, Facebook - @aiempoweredsa, X - @AI_EmpoweredSA, LinkedIn - Ai Empowered SA. Tickets for the summit start at R3,600 for both days and can be purchased at www.aiempowered.co.za. Corporate bookings packages are also available.
The AI Empowered Summit is inspired by EO Cape Town and is set to demystify AI, making it useful for entrepreneurs and business leaders across Africa. The summit is not just about global competition; it's about using AI to solve local problems and drive sustainable economic growth.
- The AI Empowered Summit, happening in Cape Town from August 7–8, 2025, aims to significantly contribute to South Africa's economy by 2030 through digital transformation in sectors like healthcare and agriculture, boosting small business productivity, and driving inclusive financial services.
- The summit, produced by One-eyed Jack, brings together business leaders, technologists, and creatives to explore the potential of AI in various fields, including healthcare, agriculture, and small businesses.
- The event offers a platform for business owners, marketers, creatives, HR leads, strategists, and decision-makers to learn about AI and its practical applications, with over 40 speakers scheduled to talk, including Bernardo Mariano Junior and Gaurav Devsarmah.
- The summit is set to contribute R129-billion to South Africa's economy by 2030, according to PwC, and aligns with broader African AI and digital economy efforts to advance technology adoption and regulatory frameworks.
- The conversations at the summit will focus on topics like fraud protection and youth upskilling, with panels featuring Roshan Jelal and Rahul Jain discussing AI and fraud protection.
