Rudolf Gaiseb
The recent eighth information and communication technology summit that took place in the capital last month, accentuated a critical introspection of the incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) in various facets of Namibian society, including in businesses of all sizes and the domestic economy in general. The ongoing AI debate summoned thought leaders, including experts in the ICT space, to share insights on this emerging technological era.
Green Enterprise Solutions managing director Kehad Snydewel in an exclusive interview with New Era
urged small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to embrace AI, and utilise its power to offer seamless operations and service delivery.
“SMEs are only beginning to recognise the immense potential that AI holds for their growth and competitiveness. SMEs should implement and leverage AI tools to their benefit, and Namibian SMEs also need to make this leap. One of the significant advantages that AI brings to small organisations is the ability to enhance the decision-making processes. AI-powered analytics process vast amounts of data in real time, providing valuable insight to help SMEs understand customer preferences, predict market trends and optimise operational efficiencies,” said Snydewel.
He added that AI algorithms have
the power to analyse customer behaviour patterns on e-commerce platforms to recommend personalised products or services, thereby improving conversion rates.
“Just like in an orchestra performing a recital or a symphony, it once again comes down to an organisation understanding what each department does, and how to optimise and leverage it to its advantage.
Besides his advocacy for AI in SMEs, Snydewel also encouraged SMEs to use these tools ethically, as this is the only way organisations can win the trust of their clientele.
He is confident that once customer engagements and service delivery become more streamlined, easy and quality improves, customers and clients will be clamouring for AI applications.
Moreover, Namibia is developing as a new frontier in the oil & gas sector, and renewable energy sector. These projects are all technology-driven, and Namibia is determined to deliver the latest information technology solutions and support.
“Our country cannot be a victim of cyberattacks, as this will be detrimental to our growth. Cybersecurity remains high on the agenda. Networks are only as strong as their weakest link, and this, therefore, means that all networks and devices that are hooked up physically or wirelessly need to be safe and secure. Education is also an essential aspect of this cybersecurity drive that is never-ending.
The criminals want to breach the security networks, and it is our task as Green to keep our clients safe from these criminals.”
Green has implemented a software that has an AI element to it.
In his view, most software these days has an AI aspect incorporated, whether it is recreating or updating repetitive tasks or self-cleaning data, and Green and its clients are only scratching the surface.
Snydewel, who shared some insights at the eighth ICT summit this year, also highlighted the digital gap Namibia is facing. “We cannot hope to compete, especially in the fast-paced digital world, if we do not educate from a grassroots level upwards when it comes to all things ICT-related. Closing the skills’ gap may be the most vital,” he said.
Nevertheless, he wants to see citizens and the country’s economy as part of the global knowledge-based economy.
“Embracing technology and IT, and understanding the applications of software and artificial intelligence, will act as a catalyst for future success. This raises the serious issue of falling behind in education, but looking at the broader picture, falling behind in computer skills. Being tech-savvy and learning your way around a computer, finding information online, and even skills such as typing, are essential in this day and age,” Snydewel added.
However, a silver lining is that Namibia’s youth seem to have a natural affinity for interacting with technology.
“However, if they do not even get the opportunity to touch a device, how will they learn? How do we teach them programming and robotics, and let them deep-dive into AI so they may harness its power? We need to act with real urgency, and not broaden the ‘digital divide’ any further in comparison to other countries; it all starts with education,” he said.