What's Next with Aki Anastasiou

Digital transformation can help South African SMEs compete without large IT budgets. Keshal Sookha, Managing Executive: Commercial Strategy at Telkom Business, explains how. Sookha discusses why smaller businesses still face barriers to accessing enterprise-grade technology and how integrated platforms can simplify email, document management, storage, collaboration, and communication. He also explains Telkom Business’s partnership with OneOffice, including its locally hosted cloud platform, integrated cybersecurity, and OneSeek AI capabilities. The discussion covers how SMEs can use AI to search information, summarise documents, and improve productivity without investing in specialist infrastructure or technical teams. Sookha also outlines how Telkom Business is expanding beyond connectivity to offer broader digital solutions and why small businesses should digitise from the start rather than waiting until they become larger. 0:00 Intro 1:04 Why SMEs still face a digital divide 2:18 Technology challenges for small businesses 3:36 Telkom Business and OneOffice 5:50 Cybersecurity and data protection 7:43 Giving SMEs access to AI 10:04 Telkom Business beyond connectivity 12:46 Why SMEs should digitise from the start Follow MyBroadband: X - https://twitter.com/mybroadband Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/mybroadband Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mybroadband/ Website - https://mybroadband.co.za/news/ #DigitalTransformation #SmallBusiness #ArtificialIntelligence

Technology ownership can become expensive as device prices rise and hardware ages. David Buck, General Manager at InnoVent, explains a smarter approach. Buck discusses why South African businesses should challenge the assumption that buying technology outright is always the best option. He explains the difference between keeping productive equipment and “sweating” outdated devices that reduce employee performance, increase support costs, and limit access to newer capabilities. The conversation also explores how lifecycle management and device data can help companies make more targeted procurement decisions, matching the right technology to the right employee rather than replacing equipment according to a fixed calendar. Buck explains how InnoVent combines funding, asset management, refurbishment, and resale to lower total cost of ownership. He also outlines why giving devices a second life can support both sustainability and smarter capital allocation as businesses plan their technology budgets. 0:00 Intro 1:19 Responding to rising technology costs 3:56 Rethinking technology ownership 6:31 Is keeping a paid-off laptop really cheaper? 9:00 Making smarter replacement decisions 11:45 Refurbishment and the circular technology model 13:40 Planning a smarter 2027 technology budget Follow MyBroadband: X - https://twitter.com/mybroadband Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/mybroadband Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mybroadband/ Website - https://mybroadband.co.za/news/ #BusinessTechnology #TechnologyInvestment #Sustainability

AI-powered digital health could make quality healthcare more accessible across South Africa, especially in communities with limited medical resources. Prof. Leenta Grobler, Associate Professor in Digital Health Innovation at the North-West University (NWU), explains how technology can help close gaps in access, information, and continuity of care. Grobler discusses remote patient monitoring, digital tools that connect local clinics with specialists, and NWU research into more accurate infant growth monitoring. She also explains how AI-supported retinal screening could analyse health data faster and support better clinical and insurance-related decisions. The conversation explores why human oversight must remain central to AI in healthcare, and why successful African digital health solutions must be designed for local realities such as connectivity constraints, unreliable electricity, and varying levels of digital literacy. 0:00 Intro 1:37 South Africa's healthcare access problem 3:32 How digital health can improve patient care 6:08 NWU's digital health projects 10:41 AI-supported retinal screening 11:25 Why humans must remain in control 13:37 Designing technology for South Africa 16:18 Measuring real healthcare impact Follow MyBroadband: X - https://twitter.com/mybroadband Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/mybroadband Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mybroadband/ Website - https://mybroadband.co.za/news/ #DigitalHealth #ArtificialIntelligence #Healthcare

AI and technology transformation are reshaping what businesses expect from connectivity providers, pushing them far beyond traditional internet services. Wayne D’sa, CEO of CipherWave, explains how the South African technology company is evolving from a Tier 1 ISP into a broader technology partner focused on connectivity, cloud, voice, and cybersecurity. D’sa discusses why reliable, low-latency connectivity remains fundamental as businesses adopt AI and cloud services, and how CipherWave is expanding its data centre and security capabilities. He also explains the company’s approach to AI: testing technologies internally, protecting business data, improving internal processes, and only then taking proven solutions to customers. The conversation also explores South Africa’s technology skills shortage, zero-trust security, customer experience, and why staying relevant requires technology providers to respond quickly as business needs change. 0:00 Intro 1:24 Wayne D’sa's return to CipherWave 5:02 From ISP to technology partner 8:10 Expanding cloud, voice and data centre services 10:40 Why cybersecurity is critical 14:28 CipherWave's AI strategy 18:30 Improving the customer experience 23:33 Staying relevant in a fast-changing market Follow MyBroadband: X - https://twitter.com/mybroadband Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/mybroadband Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mybroadband/ Website - https://mybroadband.co.za/news/ #ArtificialIntelligence #CloudComputing #Cybersecurity

AI software development is accelerating rapidly, but businesses still need human expertise to turn faster coding into secure, reliable software. Hector Beyers, CEO and founder of Codehesion, explains how artificial intelligence is changing the software development lifecycle and why developers can no longer afford to ignore AI-assisted tools. Beyers discusses Codehesion’s AI-augmented Innovation Pod model, which combines specialist developers, UX, QA, DevOps, and planning expertise with AI to deliver projects faster. He also explains why code audits, security, scalability, and human accountability remain critical as AI generates more production code. The conversation explores AI-powered prototyping, modernising legacy systems, and why custom software is becoming easier and more cost-effective to build. Beyers also predicts how developer roles could evolve as autonomous AI agents take over more repetitive testing and development tasks. 0:00 Intro 2:30 AI hype vs real software value 6:20 Why human oversight still matters 7:52 Codehesion's Innovation Pod model 11:42 Balancing AI and human expertise 18:34 The limits of AI prototyping 22:29 Modernising legacy software Join Hector Beyers, CEO and Co-Founder of Codehesion, alongside our technical experts, for a practical discussion on what it really takes to use AI to build production-ready software. Learn more: https://codehesion.com/webinar/ Register: https://codehesion.com/webinar/register/ Follow MyBroadband: X - https://twitter.com/mybroadband Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/mybroadband Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mybroadband/ Website - https://mybroadband.co.za/news/ #ArtificialIntelligence #SoftwareDevelopment #Codehesion

Retirement savings remain a major challenge in South Africa, but new data shows signs that more people are beginning to preserve their money. Keri-Lee Edmond, Head of Business Intelligence at Old Mutual Corporate, explains the six factors that could materially improve retirement outcomes for South Africans. She discusses contribution rates, pensionable salaries, investment strategies, preservation, retirement age, and sustainable income after retirement. Edmond also explains how the two-pot retirement system is helping improve preservation when people change jobs, with Old Mutual’s data showing encouraging progress. The conversation also explores the link between retirement savings and South Africa’s economic growth, and why employers and trustees have a major role to play in improving member outcomes through better defaults and fund design. 0:00 Intro 1:28 Six levers for better retirement outcomes 3:34 Why there is no silver bullet 5:16 South Africa’s savings problem 7:48 Signs retirement outcomes are improving 9:54 Retirement savings and economic growth 13:42 The role of employers and trustees 16:00 Advice for younger workers Follow MyBroadband: X - https://twitter.com/mybroadband Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/mybroadband Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mybroadband/ Website - https://mybroadband.co.za/news/ #RetirementPlanning #RetirementSavings #OldMutual

Enterprise AI is moving beyond experimentation, but businesses still need to prove where it delivers measurable value without creating new risks. Rajesh Ganesan, CEO of ManageEngine, a division of Zoho Corporation, explains where AI is delivering practical value in enterprise IT and why many organisations are still taking a cautious approach. Ganesan discusses AI-assisted software development, cybersecurity, and the shift from copilots to agentic AI that can execute IT tasks. He explains how ManageEngine’s Zia agents can analyse security data, prioritise threats, resolve support issues, and escalate decisions that still require human judgement. The conversation also explores AI governance, data privacy, infrastructure readiness, and why companies should understand where their data flows before adopting third-party models. Ganesan argues that businesses need clean data, integrated IT systems, and flexible infrastructure before AI can scale effectively. He also considers how IT architectures could increasingly be designed around AI agents first. 0:00 Intro 1:25 Where enterprise AI delivers value 4:28 Practical AI use cases for IT teams 8:51 From AI assistants to AI agents 13:09 What CIOs should automate 17:24 AI governance and data privacy 24:41 How AI will change IT teams ManageEngine Website Link: https://www.manageengine.com/ Social Handles: ManageEngine Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/manageengine/ ManageEngine Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manageengine/ ManageEngine Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ManageEngine/ ManageEngine Twitter: https://twitter.com/manageengine #ArtificialIntelligence #EnterpriseIT #Cybersecurity

Second-hand retail is becoming more digital in South Africa, and Cash Converters is using technology to turn that shift into a major growth opportunity. Jason Carlisle-Kitz, Group Chief Executive Officer of Cash Converters Southern Africa, explains how the company is modernising its 32-year-old business while preserving the trust built through its physical store network. He discusses the growth of pre-owned retail, why affordability and sustainability are changing consumer behaviour, and how e-commerce is expanding every franchise’s reach nationwide. Carlisle-Kitz also explains the technology used to test second-hand electronics, analyse customer and pricing data, and support lending decisions. The conversation explores Cash Converters’ growing use of AI, its franchise expansion strategy, and why Carlisle-Kitz increasingly sees the company as a fintech operating within the second-hand economy. 0:00 Intro 5:38 The future of Cash Converters 6:51 Why second-hand retail is growing 10:08 Unlocking value from unused tech 13:28 Growing the franchise network 16:26 Cash Converters' technology stack 25:33 The e-commerce opportunity Follow MyBroadband: X - https://twitter.com/mybroadband Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/mybroadband Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mybroadband/ Website - https://mybroadband.co.za/news/ #Fintech #SecondHandRetail #CashConverters

AI financial advice is becoming easier to access, but trusting a chatbot with major money decisions can introduce serious risks. Ajen Mothee, Head of Innovation at Old Mutual Personal Finance, explains why more South Africans are turning to AI for financial guidance and where the technology can genuinely add value. Mothee discusses how AI can help users learn financial terminology, build basic budgets, explore future scenarios, and prepare better questions for advisers. However, he warns that AI can deliver incomplete answers with convincing confidence, particularly around tax, estate planning, marital regimes, and major life decisions where personal context matters. The conversation also explores Old Mutual’s approach to AI, including financial education, simulation, automation, and tools designed to augment human advisers rather than replace them. Mothee explains why experience, wisdom, regulation, privacy, and human oversight remain essential when financial decisions carry real consequences. 0:00 Intro 0:57 Why people use AI for financial advice 3:07 South Africa’s financial guidance gap 4:47 Where AI advice becomes risky 7:24 What AI cannot replace 13:16 Old Mutual’s approach to AI 22:48 How to use AI safely for money decisions Follow MyBroadband: X - https://twitter.com/mybroadband Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/mybroadband Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mybroadband/ Website - https://mybroadband.co.za/news/ #ArtificialIntelligence #PersonalFinance #FinancialAdvice

Financial pressure is changing how South Africans save, spend, buy homes, and build additional income streams — but it has not killed their ambition. Jolandé Duvenage, Value Ecosystems and CX CEO at FNB, shares what a decade of customer behaviour on FNB nav» reveals about how people are adapting to rising living costs and greater financial uncertainty. She explains why customers increasingly want guidance rather than simply banking products, and how progress is shifting towards smaller, more deliberate financial decisions. The discussion covers savings goals, home ownership, side hustles, financial resilience, and how younger South Africans are navigating work and money differently. Duvenage also explains how nav» is evolving to connect money management, property, entrepreneurship, sustainability, and other life decisions. Looking ahead, she believes AI should reduce complexity and help customers make their own better-informed decisions rather than make those decisions for them. 0:00 Intro 2:03 How FNB nav» has evolved 5:13 Are South Africans coping financially? 9:03 How money habits have changed 13:12 Are people still planning for the future? 18:44 The future of home ownership 22:05 How young South Africans approach money 25:42 Side hustles and multiple income streams Follow MyBroadband: X - https://twitter.com/mybroadband Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/mybroadband Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mybroadband/ Website - https://mybroadband.co.za/news/ #PersonalFinance #DigitalBanking #FNB