Econet launches dedicated AI unit to drive digital transformation

STAFF WRITER
Econet Wireless Zimbabwe has officially launched Econet AI, a new business unit aimed at accelerating the adoption of artificial intelligence across Zimbabwe’s economy.
Unveiled in Harare on Thursday, Econet AI immediately introduced a suite of products and capabilities designed to accelerate AI use across the market, in multiple sectors, by corporate organizations and individuals.
During the launch, Econet AI announced an exciting offer to Econet customers – starting in May– of free six-months access to Google Gemini, one of the world’s most advanced AI platforms.
Google Gemini uses advanced multimodal generative AI models that simultaneously process, understand and create content across multiple data types – such as text, images, audio, video and code.
Econet AI also introduced Cassava AiCloud, a platform that will give Zimbabwean enterprises access to high-performance computing, powered by NVIDIA GPUs – the super high-speed processors that can handle complex and multiple tasks simultaneously. The infrastructure is hosted at the Cassava AI Factory in South Africa, currently the only facility of its kind on the African continent.
Delegates to the launch included ICT, Postal and Courier Services Minister Tatenda Mavetera – who was guest of honour – senior government officials, regulators, business leaders, equipment vendors and partners, suppliers and clients of the Econet group.
Econet Group Chief Executive Officer Douglas Mboweni earlier revealed that the AI unit had been evolving quietly over the past five years as an internal innovation hub.
“We have been using and applying artificial intelligence within our own operations – improving customer experience, optimising network performance and enhancing decision-making across the business,” he said.
“Our experience shows that AI is a remarkable technology that every business should be deploying. It dramatically reduces costs and has the potential to significantly grow revenue.”
He said the formal launch marked a shift to commercial deployment, positioning Econet AI as a strategic partner for businesses seeking to modernise or scale their operations and remain competitive in an increasingly digital global economy.
“We are now ready to take these solutions to the market and share capabilities drawn from some of the best technology companies in the world,” he added.
Already employing more than 100 specialists, Econet AI is expected to anchor the group’s ambitions in one of the fastest-growing sectors globally.
Minister Mavetera welcomed the launch of Econet AI, saying it aligned with the country’s recently launched National AI Strategy.
“The launch of Econet AI is taking place at the very exciting intersection of enabling government policy and incredible private sector innovation.
“With the capabilities it unleashes and the opportunities it creates, AI is no longer just a future concept, but a present-day catalyst and driver of national economic growth, efficiency, productivity and innovation,” she said.
She said the launch – a first of its kind by a tech company in Africa – was firmly aligned with the Zimbabwe’s National Development Strategy (NDS) 2 , which seeks to promote a digital economy and transform the country into a prosperous, knowledge-driven and upper-middle-income economy.
“As Government, we fully support this milestone, which has the potential and promise to empower out local businesses and entrepreneurs, create jobs and position Zimbabwe to compete more effectively in the global digital economy.”
The Minister said the government remained committed to fostering a policy framework that promotes innovation, saying as Government “we require the ingenuity, innovation and investment of the private sector to make it a reality”.
“The Econet Group has demonstrated great confidence in Zimbabwe’s economy and digital future. It is a shared commitment to building our economy and empowering our people, for which I congratulate Econet and its management today,” said Minister Mavetera.
With the newly launched company’s own management team and growing pool of experts, Econet AI is poised to play a pivotal role in helping Zimbabwean enterprises integrate AI into their operations – from automating routine processes to unlocking data-driven insights and boosting productivity.
Its launch comes amid a global surge in AI investment, as companies worldwide race to harness the transformative power of the technology.