Author: Staff Writer

Last week, we reported that Meta introduced Meta AI’, a powerful conversational AI chatbot, into WhatsApp in India and parts of Africa. Today, Meta AI has expanded into seven countries in Sub Saharan Africa including Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi. Built with Llama 3, it is now…

Nigeria is poised to take a significant step in protecting its telecommunications infrastructure, with plans underway to criminalize the destruction of broadband fibre cables, according to reports from Bloomberg. This move comes in response to repeated complaints by MTN Nigeria Communications Plc and other telecom companies, who have reported significant…

MTN Group and Huawei have officially launched the Technology Innovation Lab at MTN Group’s headquarters, heralding a new era of collaboration in the digital realm. This venture, first unveiled during MWC 2024 with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, signals a strategic move to deepen their partnership, driving digital…

In a move that surprised many in the robotics industry, Boston Dynamics announced today, the retirement of its iconic humanoid robot, Atlas. Atlas, known for its impressive athletic abilities and parkour skills, was a pioneer in the field of bipedal robots. “At the time of its debut, Atlas was one…

Tesla, the pioneering electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, is undergoing significant restructuring, according to an internal memo obtained by Reuters on Monday. The memo revealed plans to lay off more than 10% of its global workforce as the company grapples with declining sales and heightened competition in the EV market. CEO…

Bitcoin, the world’s most popular cryptocurrency, is gearing up for a critical event this April 2024: the halving. But what exactly is a halving, and how will it affect the value of Bitcoin that people already own? Bitcoin Halving Explained: Imagine a giant, digital gold mine. Every 10 minutes, miners…

Toyota Ventures, the venture capital arm of Toyota, is stepping up its game with two new $150 million funds aimed at boosting early-stage investments in groundbreaking technology and climate solutions. This move expands the firm’s total assets under management to over $800 million, reflecting its commitment to driving innovation and…

In a significant development for sustainable agriculture in Africa, tech titans Reed Hastings, co-founder of Netflix Inc., and Eric Schmidt, former CEO of Alphabet Inc., have thrown their weight behind SunCulture, a Nairobi-based solar irrigation startup. This move comes as part of a $27 million funding round that signals a…

In its latest Community Guidelines Enforcement Report for Q4, 2023, TikTok stated that it removed 176 million videos from its platform globally for violating its policies. For Nigeria, the Bytedance short video platform removed 1.7 million videos posted by Nigerian users during the same period. According to the report, TikTok…

Google has announced its latest addition to Google Workspace – Google Vids, a groundbreaking AI-driven video creation application designed for professional use. With Vids, anyone can effortlessly craft compelling stories through video, supported by its multifunctional capabilities as a writing, production, and editing assistant. Seamlessly integrated with Google’s suite of…

Verod-Kepple Africa Ventures (VKAV) has reached a significant milestone by closing its first fund at $60 million, paving the way to back up to 21 growth-stage companies across the continent. The latest funding round includes support from Nigeria’s SCM Capital, formerly Sterling Capital Markets Limited, along with other notable investors…

In Africa, where startups are increasingly driving the economic narrative, the ability to innovate within a tight budget is not just advantageous; it’s essential. The challenge of maintaining a technological edge while managing costs is a significant hurdle for many. Yet, with strategic planning and a focus on sustainability, startups…

Google has started rolling out the upgraded Find My Device network globally, starting with US and Canada. With a revolutionary crowdsourced network comprising over a billion Android devices, Find My Device is here to revolutionize the way you track your misplaced Android devices and everyday essentials securely and efficiently. Here…

In a groundbreaking union of iconic brands, The Walt Disney Company and Coca-Cola have joined forces to launch Coca-Cola x Marvel: The Heroes, a global campaign that’s set to redefine the realms of marketing and pop culture. This unprecedented collaboration, which kicked off on Monday, brings together the captivating world…

In a significant stride towards enhancing cross-border communication, the National Communications Authority (NCA) of Ghana and the Autorité de Régulation des Communications Électroniques et de la Poste (ARCEP) of Benin have inked a bilateral roaming service agreement. The landmark agreement, signed on March 27, 2024, in Cotonou, Benin, paves the…

OpenAI has unveiled an exciting new feature that allows users to edit images generated by its DALL-E model directly within the ChatGPT platform. This feature, available across web, iOS, and Android devices, aims to enhance the creative potential of users by providing them with greater control over DALL-E generated images.…

In a bid to transform digital payments in Nigeria, Mono, a leading Open Banking platform, has announced a strategic partnership with Mastercard. This collaboration will see Mono’s innovative DirectPay Pay with Bank feature integrated into the Mastercard Payment Gateway System (MPGS), offering businesses a seamless and secure account-to-account payment solution.…

Today, amidst the usual April 1st pranks, Nigerian fintech startup Thepeer announced its closure. This news comes as a surprise to some, but a sobering reminder of the challenges faced by innovative startups in Africa’s developing financial landscape. Thepeer’s mission was ambitious – to create a seamless way to transfer…

OpenAI announced that it has now enabled users to start using ChatGPT without an account. This means that instead of the usual practice of creating an account before using ChatGPT, you can now start experiencing the benefits of Artificial Intelligence instantly. OpenAI made this known via a blog post today,…

OpenAI, a research company known for its work in artificial intelligence, announced that it has made significant strides in developing a new system called Voice Engine. This system utilizes a combination of text input and a brief audio sample to generate realistic-sounding speech that closely resembles the original speaker’s voice.…