All-new AI.
Social media leaks about an all-new South African artificial intelligence (AI) platform, and the resulting furore of speculation, have compelled us to release this brief statement.
We are the developers of the AI featured in a tech spec video that appeared on Monday 9 June on all major social media platforms before going viral. We suspect that the tech spec video may have been leaked by one of the AI’s beta testers.
The AI platform is still in testing with the official launch planned for 24 June 2025. Until then, we are unable to identify ourselves or provide full details of this new frontier for African AI and its capabilities, but we expect to see more comms around this launch in the coming days.
However, in an attempt to deal with extensive speculation by commentators, we can confirm some of the details:
- The AI is called KAIIA
- It has been trained to be culturally sensitive in a diverse South Africa.
- It recognises the wide range of beliefs, contexts and practices that are part of everyday South African life.
- It is fluent in all 11 South African languages. Its responses will be nuanced according to which language is being used.
- It is keenly aware of things all South Africans have in common, and it has been trained to prioritise these in its responses.
The curiosity about KAIIA is understandable, and we look forward to revealing all the details on 24 June, when it will be available online and free for all South Africans to use.
As a group of young developers passionate about South Africa, we are proud of what we have built and are excited to get the country interacting with it.
We can’t wait for 24 June, when everyone will be able to taste the future.
