Artificial Intelligence Summit selecting Cape Town as its host city announced

AI Empowered Summit in Cape Town Set to Transform Businesses and Society

The AI Empowered summit, taking place in Cape Town on August 7-8, 2025, promises to turn AI hype into practical solutions for businesses and society at large. This two-day event, inspired by EO Cape Town, aims to demystify AI technologies and equip attendees with the tools to leverage AI in various sectors, such as agriculture, education, fintech, healthcare, and logistics.

The summit will be hosted at the Cape Town International Convention Centre and is proudly produced by One-eyed Jack, in partnership with CapeTalk, Daily Maverick, Invest Cape Town, the City of Cape Town, IAB, FNB, and EO Cape Town. Key partners include Microsoft, Google, Discovery, and more.

The programme includes two main tracks: the EO Insights Hub Stage and the Main Auditorium. Speakers from diverse backgrounds and industries will share their insights, including Steven Sidley, Professor of Practice at JBS, UJ, who will discuss "We're All Gonna Die - Utopian vs Dystopian Prognoses for AI." Other speakers include Roshan Jelal, FNB Head of Fraud Commercial, and Rahul Jain, Co-Founder of Peach Payments, who will explore the AI & Fraud panel.

Beverley Schäfer, Director of Strat Diplomacy and Advisory Board Member at SAAIA, will deliver a talk on "Regulating Innovation: Finding the Line Between Governance and Growth." Gaurav Devsarmah, Head of AI at Warp Development, will conduct a workshop titled "Making Sense of AI to Generate Tangible Return."

Folarin Aiyegbusi, Head of Startup Ecosystem for Africa at Google, will deliver a talk virtually titled "The Role of AI in Growing Small Businesses." New additions to the line-up include Kabelo Makwane, Country Director of Google, and Valter Adão, CEO of Cadena Growth Partners and Faculty of Singularity University Africa.

The event is designed for business owners, marketers, creatives, HR leads, strategists, and decision-makers who want to use AI to work smarter, grow faster, and lead more confidently. Tickets for the event start at R3,600 for both days and are available for purchase at www.aiempowered.co.za. Corporate bookings packages are also available.

AI is expected to contribute R129-billion to South Africa's economy by 2030, with growing traction in sectors like education, healthcare, logistics, agriculture, and the SME ecosystem. The summit aims to ensure that local entrepreneurs and SMEs capitalize on this opportunity, thereby boosting economic growth and innovation across multiple industries.

The city of Cape Town, Africa's leading tech and innovation hub, is home to top startups, global HQs, and world-class talent. Alderman James Vos, the City of Cape Town's Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth, supports the summit, stating that AI is an important tool for identifying challenges and unlocking solutions.

The event's line-up includes more than 40 speakers, with 15 women as speakers to champion diverse voices in innovation. Dillon Jearey, Facilitator at Circle Forward Global, will conduct a workshop titled "Generative AI 101 - From Curiosity to Competitive Edge in 59 Minutes a Week."

Join the AI Empowered summit in Cape Town to turn AI hype into practical solutions and equip yourself with the tools to navigate the AI-driven future.

[1] AI Empowered Summit Press Release, 2023. [2] PwC Report on AI's Impact on South Africa's Economy, 2022. [3] EO Cape Town Annual Report, 2024. [4] One-eyed Jack Partnership Announcement, 2024. [5] AI Empowered Summit Mission Statement, 2025.

The upcoming AI Empowered Summit in Cape Town, taking place on August 7-8, 2025, aims to demystify and equip attendees with AI tools for practical solutions in diverse sectors like agriculture, education, fintech, healthcare, and logistics.
The event is designed for business owners, Marketers, strategists, HR leads, creatives, and decision-makers who want to use AI to work smarter, grow faster, and lead more confidently, and tickets start at R3,600 for both days.
AI is expected to contribute R129-billion to South Africa's economy by 2030, with growing traction in sectors like education, healthcare, logistics, agriculture, and the SME ecosystem, making it an important opportunity for local entrepreneurs and SMEs to capitalize on.
The city of Cape Town, Africa's leading tech and innovation hub, is home to top startups, global HQs, and world-class talent, and the event's line-up includes more than 40 speakers, with 15 women as speakers to champion diverse voices in innovation.
The event promises to turn AI hype into practical solutions for businesses and society, and seeks to ensure that attendees are prepared to navigate the AI-driven future, with workshops on topics such as Generative AI 101 and Making Sense of AI to Generate Tangible Return.