A full day of thought-provoking keynote talks and panel discussions explored the cutting edge of AI, spatial computing, robotics, and digital transformation, giving delegates a glimpse into the technologies reshaping business, society, and human potential. From practical demonstrations to forward-looking insights, the Summit offered a unique platform for leaders to engage with global experts, exchange ideas, and consider how emerging innovations can be responsibly applied for real-world impact.

Some of the Key Learnings Included the Following:

Navigating Instability and Redefining Africa’s Economic Future

Opening the Summit, David Roberts reflected on the unpredictable nature of national disruption and its impact on business and society. Drawing from decades of studying conflict, he noted that instability often emerges from within nations rather than through foreign intervention, as seen in Myanmar and Sudan. He highlighted the potential consequences of a Taiwan–China conflict, given Taiwan’s dominance in advanced chip production, to illustrate global fragility.

Shifting focus to Africa, Roberts addressed South Africa’s low growth and the continent’s untapped potential, urging leaders to consider a shared currency between South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria to drive integration and stability. He stressed that technology could also tackle corruption and crime, while collective leadership is vital to retain young talent and rebuild trust. His key message was clear: Africa’s progress depends on courage, collaboration, and decisive leadership to turn volatility into long-term opportunity.

Human Centred Leadership for an African Future

Celiwe Ross, Director: Group Strategy, Sustainability, People and Public Affairs at Old Mutual, shared that leadership needs to combine technology and empathy to uplift people in changing times. She explained that Old Mutual’s priority is to improve financial wellness for individuals, families, and communities through accessible tools that support real-life needs. Ross highlighted the important shift from selling products to forming trusted relationships that recognise customers as part of interconnected communities, guided by the African value of Ubuntu.

Ross advocated that African markets require solutions built for local realities, noting that by 2050, one in four people in the world would be African, many of whom live and work within informal economies. In addition to the importance of investing in innovation, Ross emphasised that leadership success is defined by the positive change it inspires in others, keeping humanity at the centre of transformation.

Harnessing the Power of Cognitive Computing

Aaron Frank explored how cognitive computing is redefining the relationship between humans and machines. He explained that while traditional AI systems focus on logic and prediction, cognitive systems learn context, emotion, and intent, allowing for richer collaboration between people and technology. Frank reflected on how this evolution will impact industries such as education, healthcare, and finance, where human insight and machine intelligence can combine to deliver far more personalised solutions.

He encouraged leaders to view AI not as a competitor but as an amplifier of human capability, able to handle complexity at scale while freeing people to focus on creativity and problem-solving. Frank’s takeaway for African innovators was that embracing cognitive computing can accelerate progress, provided ethics, inclusivity, and human purpose remain at the centre of innovation.

The New Frontier of Human-AI Collaboration

Anita Schjøll Abildgaard challenged delegates to rethink their relationship with AI, framing it as a creative partner rather than a tool. She shared insights from her experience developing AI systems that assist scientists in research, illustrating how machine learning can unlock new forms of discovery. Abildgaard emphasised that trust and transparency are essential for humans to collaborate effectively with AI, particularly as systems become more autonomous and influential in decision-making.

She argued that the future of progress depends less on building smarter machines and more on designing better partnerships between people and technology. Her closing thought was that Africa’s greatest opportunity lies not in replicating global AI models but in developing human-centric approaches that reflect the continent’s diversity, ingenuity, and values.

Evolving Intelligence: The Next Leap in AI Innovation

Ashley Anthony highlighted how evolutionary algorithms are reshaping innovation by allowing software to improve itself through digital “natural selection.” Drawing inspiration from Google’s Alpha Evolve project, he showed how this approach enables algorithms to outperform traditional models within days, creating unique, adaptive intellectual property for businesses. Beyond technical impact, Anthony underscored AI’s human value, freeing people from routine tasks to reclaim meaningful time in their lives.

His demonstration of an offline, low-cost exam-marking app for under-resourced South African schools illustrated how context-driven design can achieve real-world results. By evolving both technology and purpose, Anthony urged leaders to see AI not only as a competitive edge but as a tool to enhance human potential, balance, and well-being.

Designing the Intimacy Economy

Cathy Hackl explored how AI and spatial computing are transforming the way people connect, both with technology and each other. She described a future where AI agents, avatars, and spatial interfaces blend the digital and physical worlds, enabling deeper intellectual, emotional, and even spiritual forms of intimacy. Hackl argued that society is moving beyond the attention economy into an “intimacy economy,” where connection and authenticity define value.

She also addressed complex ethical frontiers, from AI companions to grief support and assistive technologies, urging designers to approach these spaces with empathy and care. Her vision placed humans, not machines, at the centre of innovation, calling for intentional design that enhances human connection rather than replacing it.

Africa’s AI Advantage: Bold Vision, Real Impact

Maureen Costello, Vice President of Google Cloud for the UK, Ireland, and Sub-Saharan Africa, shared how Google’s near-complete $1 billion investment in Africa’s digital transformation is laying the foundation for AI-driven growth. From the Equiano subsea cable to the new Johannesburg Cloud region, she illustrated how infrastructure and access to advanced AI models like Gemini are empowering businesses, researchers, and students across the continent.

Costello outlined Africa’s opportunity to leapfrog legacy systems by embracing AI responsibly and collaboratively, with a focus on education, healthcare, and entrepreneurship. Her message was clear: Africa’s AI future depends on bold application, responsible governance, and shared partnerships that turn digital potential into inclusive economic progress.

Preparing for the Age of AGI

Peter Xing examined the economic and societal shifts expected as Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) approaches, with experts predicting major breakthroughs before 2030. He discussed the dual potential of AGI, from abundance and productivity to disruption and displacement, and urged leaders to plan probabilistically across multiple futures. Xing outlined how AI is already transforming industries, driving automation, and redefining work, while creating new demands for infrastructure, governance, and ethical foresight.

He argued that survival and success will depend on adaptability, distributed energy and compute capacity, and human alignment at every level of innovation. His closing insight reframed AGI not as an endpoint but as a test of humanity’s ability to steer technology towards longevity, equity, and collective advancement.

Robotics, Live in Action

Adam Pantanowitz introduced delegates to a new generation of robotic colleagues: Maximus, a humanoid capable of complex industrial and service tasks, alongside two canine robots, Murphy and Mavis. Highlighting their practical and playful applications in logistics, security, and social care, he emphasized that these machines act as co-pilots, enhancing human capacity, safety, and creativity rather than replacing people.

The summit continues in Johannesburg on Thursday, 23 October, with the event being screened concurrently, live in the UBU metaverse.

For regular updates, follow Singularity South Africa on social media @singularityusouthafrica. To join the Singularity community of changemakers, or to learn more, visit singularityusouthafricasummit.org.

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This year’s summit is presented in collaboration with headline sponsor Old Mutual, event partner South African Tourism and metaverse partner UBU. With the theme Igniting Africa’s Future, the event will bring together global thought leaders, entrepreneurs and decision-makers to leverage the critical role of exponential technologies in shaping the continent’s trajectory.

Deepening the Impact

With artificial intelligence continuing to evolve at speed, including its application in physical form through robotics, this year’s stage content will explore the growing embodiment of AI. The programme will examine how these advances can be used to address the global challenges and future-proof societies.

The in-person summit will feature two stages, a curated expo of premium brands, immersive workshops and networking opportunities designed to spark meaningful connections. The speaker line-up will feature more than 30 international and local experts covering topics including AI and Robotics ranging from digital biology, to 3d printing, prosperity, water, education, blockchain, leadership, the future of healthcare and spatial computing.

The first eight confirmed speakers, with more to come, include:  

• Tiffany Vora – This biotechnologist stands at the frontier where biology becomes technology, decoding life’s building blocks to unlock humanity’s boldest future.
• David Roberts – World renowned thought leader on disruption, innovation and leadership
• Peter Xing – Shaping humanity’s next evolution, bridging transhumanism with the ethics of a post-AGI world. His work challenges us to think beyond intelligence, toward what it truly means to be human.
• Kojo Annan – Championing the next wave of African prosperity, unlocking capital for bold entrepreneurs across the continent. His mission: to fuel Africa’s future through visionary investment and venture leadership.
• Cathy Hackl – Stands at the forefront of Spatial Computing and AI, shaping the future where our physical and digital worlds seamlessly converge. Her work is defining the interfaces that will power the next era of human experience.
• Babusi Nyoni –  On a mission to revolutionize sick care in Africa with Sila Health, bringing accessible health solutions to millions. He pushes the boundaries of AI, where technology meets creativity to solve real-world problems.
• Vukosi Marikate – Leading Africa’s AI revolution with Lelapa AI, building models that speak Africa’s languages and solve Africa’s problems. His work is unlocking a future where AI truly works for Africans, by Africans.
• Hongqi Guo – The visionary behind some of China’s most advanced futuristic cities, redefining how millions live, move, and connect. He’s leading the conversation on new urbanization and the infrastructure shaping tomorrow’s world.

These leaders will explore the shifts already under way and those still to come, from post-AGI planning to African data models and the next evolution in healthcare.

The summit’s presence in the metaverse will be even more immersive in 2025, offering two stages, speaker-led workshops, DJ sets, gamified experiences, AI-generated hosts and a fully-fledged digital expo, all within UBU, Africa’s metaverse platform.

Backing Prosperity Through Innovation

“Old Mutual is proud to support Singularity South Africa for the second year running,” said Celiwe Ross, Director: Strategy, Sustainability, People & Public Affairs at Old Mutual. “It is a premier platform that brings together the boldest thinkers and brightest ideas shaping Africa’s future. As a business deeply rooted in the continent, our commitment goes beyond innovation for its own sake, and we are backing technology that makes a positive, tangible impact. It is about building solutions that improve lives, inspire opportunity and help future-proof our society for generations to come.”

“This year’s summit is about harnessing the momentum we’ve seen around exponential technologies and directing it toward real, measurable progress,” said Shayne Mann, co-CEO of Singularity South Africa. “From the physical to the virtual, this is where Africa’s future is being shaped.”

“SingularityU South Africa Summit 2025 will showcase the ideas, technologies and business models that are reshaping industries and reimagining prosperity,” “We are proud to create a platform that continues to unlock potential, scale impact and spark global conversations, with Africa at the forefront,” added Mic Mann, co-CEO.

Further announcements on pricing and the full speaker line-up will follow. For more information, regular updates or to book, visit www.singularitysouthafricasummit.org.

Ticket prices:

Super Early Bird: R 13 700 (in person), R 3 600 (metaverse). Book before 1 June and get your super early bird discount 30% off the standard ticket price. limited availability. Next pricing packages take effect on 2 June 2025.

All prices include VAT.

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