Author: Okikiola O. Johnson

Qodo, a startup building artificial intelligence tools for code review, testing, and governance, has raised $70 million in a Series B funding round as enterprises grapple with a surge in AI-generated software and a growing need for trustworthy code quality. The round was led by Qumra Capital and included participation from existing and new investors, bringing Qodo’s total funding to approximately $120 million. Venture firms such as Maor Ventures, Phoenix Venture Partners, S Ventures, Square Peg, Susa Ventures, TLV Partners, and Vine Ventures joined the deal, with individual backers including executives from OpenAI and Meta also participating. Qodo’s platform aims…

Former Ghanaian Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia has identified six key policy strategies that can position Africa as a leader in the global race for artificial intelligence (AI). Delivering a keynote at the prestigious London School of Economics and Political Science(LSE) Africa Summit 2026 in London, Dr Bawumia emphasised that Africa must first strengthen its foundational pillars – infrastructure, skills, and governance-before chasing technological applications. “Technological revolutions reward those who build foundations first-institutions, infrastructure, skills, and rules-before chasing applications,” he said. The Six Policy Steps Include; Invest in Foundational Infrastructure Reliable electricity, broadband, and digital infrastructure are essential to enable AI…

Meta, the technology company behind Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, has unveiled a new initiative to empower small businesses and accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence across its platforms. The programme, called Meta Small Business, is designed to help entrepreneurs leverage AI tools to build, manage, and scale their operations more efficiently. It targets the more than 250 million small and medium-sized businesses already using Meta’s platforms for advertising, sales, and customer engagement. The initiative will integrate AI-driven capabilities directly into Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, enabling businesses to automate customer interactions, generate marketing content, and improve data-driven decision-making. Chief Executive Mark…

Google has introduced a new internal artificial intelligence tool, dubbed “Agent Smith,” designed to automate workplace tasks and allow employees to execute assignments directly from their mobile devices, according to reports. The tool, launched internally in early 2026, represents a significant shift toward so-called “agentic” AI systems-software capable of independently carrying out complex workflows with minimal human supervision. Built on Google’s existing infrastructure, Agent Smith can handle tasks such as coding, document retrieval, and workflow management across the company’s internal systems. What sets Agent Smith apart is its asynchronous functionality. Employees can assign tasks to the AI agent, run it…

In a bid to expand AI-powered content creation, ByteDance Ltd., the Beijing-based technology company behind TikTok and CapCut, has introduced its Dreamina Seedance 2.0 AI video generation model to CapCut, the company’s widely used video editing platform. The new feature allows creators to generate, edit, and synchronise video and audio using textual prompts, images, or reference clips, making advanced AI video tools accessible to a global audience. The rollout spans multiple regions, including Southeast Asia, South America, Africa, and the Middle East, signalling ByteDance’s intent to position CapCut as a leading platform for AI-assisted creative production. “Dreamina Seedance 2.0 represents…

In a bid to make messaging faster and more efficient, WhatsApp has introduced an AI-powered feature that can draft replies based on users’ conversations. The new tool analyses the context of chats and suggests responses that users can accept, edit, or ignore, offering convenience while keeping control firmly in users’ hands. The feature builds on WhatsApp’s previous AI-driven tools, such as text rephrasing and chat organisation functions. With draft replies, the platform can now offer more intelligent, context-aware suggestions that adapt to the tone and flow of conversations, helping users respond quickly to messages without compromising personal expression. WhatsApp has…

The University of Cape Town (UCT) has announced the launch of Africa’s first higher‑education‑dedicated artificial intelligence (AI) compute initiative, a landmark effort to strengthen the continent’s research and innovation capabilities in AI technologies. The African Compute Initiative (ACI) will establish the largest GPU-intensive computing cluster at an African university, providing local researchers and students with the high-performance infrastructure needed to develop and test AI systems. The initiative is part of the AI for Development (AI4D) programme, co-funded by the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Canada’s International Development Research Centre. By providing researchers across Africa with dedicated compute…

Washington, D.C. – Melania Trump has highlighted the growing role of artificial intelligence in education, using a hypothetical AI-powered teacher named “Plato” to illustrate how emerging technologies could reshape learning in the future. Speaking at a White House event focused on education and technology, Trump outlined the potential for AI systems to support personalised learning and expand access to educational resources. Her remarks formed part of a broader discussion on how digital tools, including robotics, may influence classroom teaching and student engagement. During the event, a humanoid robot developed by Figure AI was also presented, demonstrating recent advances in robotics and…

Tshwane University of Technology (TUT). Expert on artificial intelligence, Prof. Anish Kurien, has joined global and regional experts at a World Bank Group AI consultation held in Pretoria, South Africa, contributing to discussions shaping the forthcoming World Development Report 2026 on “Artificial Intelligence for Development.” The high-level consultation, hosted in South Africa’s administrative capital, brought together policymakers, academics, and development partners to examine how artificial intelligence could influence economic growth, public service delivery, and labour markets across developing countries. Prof. Kurien, who serves as Acting Director of the TUT AI Hub, is part of the academic delegation providing insights on how African…

The Safer-Media Initiative has trained journalists in Benin City, Edo State, on the ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI) as part of efforts to promote the responsible adoption of emerging technologies in Nigeria’s media landscape. The training, held in Benin City, brought together media practitioners to explore how AI is reshaping journalism and the need to apply ethical standards when using such tools in news production. As AI continues to gain traction in newsrooms across Nigeria and globally, concerns around misinformation, data privacy, and the credibility of AI-generated content have become increasingly prominent. During the session, organisers emphasised that while…