South African AI Awards to recognise innovation that creates opportunity

South Africa’s artificial intelligence ambitions will ultimately be measured by what the technology makes possible for its people. Better services, stronger businesses, access to information and opportunities to participate in the economy are among the outcomes that give innovation its meaning.

The inaugural South African AI Awards will put these priorities in focus on 13 November 2026 at The Galleria in Sandton. Presented by NTT DATA under the theme Inclusive Socio-Economic Prosperity, the awards will recognise individuals, businesses and institutions developing and applying AI to address challenges across the country.

The evening will bring together entrepreneurs, researchers, business leaders, policymakers and technology specialists. Beyond recognising achievement, it aims to create connections between those building solutions and the organisations that can help them reach a wider market.

For awards chairperson Atenkosi Ngubevana, the purpose is to connect recognition with opportunity.

“South Africa has people building solutions that deserve to be seen, supported and taken further. Through these awards, we want to recognise their work and bring together the businesses, institutions and partners who can help it reach more people. Inclusive prosperity means asking who has access to AI, whose problems it addresses and how it creates opportunities for wider participation,” says Ngubevana.

The awards span 25 categories, covering areas including healthcare, education, financial services, SME enablement, enterprise AI, African-language innovation and solutions for social good. They also recognise research, talent, ethics and governance, acknowledging the foundations needed for responsible and sustained progress.

This breadth reflects the different ways AI can contribute to the economy and society. In healthcare and education, the questions include how technology can support professionals and improve access. In smaller businesses, attention turns to affordability, practical usefulness and the ability to operate with limited resources.

African-language innovation brings another dimension to inclusion. People’s ability to use digital services is influenced by whether those services understand their language and context. Recognising this work places local needs within the discussion about technological progress.

Enterprise categories, meanwhile, examine the application of AI within organisations. They draw attention to the work required to move from an idea or demonstration to a system that functions reliably in everyday operations.

Insights from Dr Mark Nasila’s assessment of awards submissions add substance to this conversation. His assessment identified relative strengths in SME enablement, African-language technology and cybersecurity, alongside uneven progress in research, governance and enterprise integration.

The findings concern the submissions assessed and should not be read as a comprehensive measure of South Africa’s AI sector. They nevertheless highlight why recognition should be accompanied by discussion of the investment, skills and institutional support required to turn promising work into lasting value.

For businesses, these questions are practical. An organisation exploring AI may need specialist expertise, a suitable technology partner or evidence that a solution can address a particular need. An emerging enterprise may need access to customers, funding or opportunities to test and develop its offering.

The awards provide a setting in which these interests can meet. Their longer-term value will depend on the relationships that develop and the willingness of participants to translate conversations into practical collaboration.

NTT DATA’s involvement as presenting partner brings enterprise support to a platform focused on South African capability. Alongside NTT DATA, partners include YuLife, iStore, Mann Made and 22 on Sloane, bringing together organisations from technology, business and the entrepreneurial community.

Brand South Africa is also supporting the awards through its Play Your Part programme. Its participation reinforces the importance of recognising local achievement and encouraging businesses, institutions and individuals to contribute to the country’s development.

This collective support reflects the value of collaboration in advancing local innovation. For the awards, these partnerships help build a platform where emerging talent and established organisations can connect, exchange knowledge and explore opportunities to work together.

Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Honourable Solly Malatsi, will deliver the keynote address, with Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa, South Africa CEO of Naspers and Group Executive Director of Naspers and Prosus, joining as guest speaker. Broadcaster and news anchor Thembekile Mrototo will host the gala dinner, bringing recognition and discussion of AI’s economic and social significance into one setting.

The theme also places responsibility at the centre of the occasion. As AI becomes part of business processes and service delivery, questions about accountability, information handling and fair outcomes become increasingly important. Recognising ethics and governance affirms their place in credible innovation.

For prospective partners, the invitation is to contribute to a platform that gives local work greater visibility and creates opportunities for engagement. Supporting South African AI capability means helping people with useful ideas find the relationships and resources needed to develop them.

On 13 November, the spotlight will fall on that capability and the people behind it. The ambition is for the recognition to carry forward into new partnerships, stronger businesses and opportunities that extend beyond the awards evening.

For information about the South African AI Awards and participation opportunities, visit southafricanaiaawards.co.za.