Some prof says Zimbabwe needs to get with the AI program, and fast. Professor Kudakwashe Taruberekera, an academic and the CEO of Craft Properties, made the case after attending the Global AI Show in Abu Dhabi and the Dubai Future Forum. He argued the country must use artificial intelligence as a base for its economy, boosting both global competition and overall efficiency. He warned that delays in adoption by the public and private sectors would leave Zimbabwe behind in this Fourth Industrial Revolution. The professor called for a national strategy, similar to that of the United Arab Emirates, which aims for an AI-powered government.
Taruberekera described AI as a proactive digital teammate, not just old software. He explained that it stores and analyzes data quickly to guide better decisions. For his property field, he outlined specific uses through an Intelligent Development Model. AI could determine the best time to buy land, suggest cheaper building materials, and cut financial risks. It could enable virtual site tours for diaspora Zimbabweans and predict future high-growth suburbs using satellite images and demographic trends. He connected this to the national goal of a twenty-four-hour economy, noting that AI systems can handle client inquiries nonstop across time zones.
The professor laid out the required steps for this tech shift. He emphasized AI literacy within the Education 5.0 framework to train digital construction managers. He cited the need for reliable power, fast internet, and solar energy investment. Sovereign data control through local hubs for land records was another point. Automating building permits with AI could slash approval times from weeks to hours. He pushed for strong public-private partnerships, with the government viewing business as a strategic ally beyond just tax collection. With the right tools, he concluded, Zimbabwe could become a tech center for the SADC region.
Taruberekera described AI as a proactive digital teammate, not just old software. He explained that it stores and analyzes data quickly to guide better decisions. For his property field, he outlined specific uses through an Intelligent Development Model. AI could determine the best time to buy land, suggest cheaper building materials, and cut financial risks. It could enable virtual site tours for diaspora Zimbabweans and predict future high-growth suburbs using satellite images and demographic trends. He connected this to the national goal of a twenty-four-hour economy, noting that AI systems can handle client inquiries nonstop across time zones.
The professor laid out the required steps for this tech shift. He emphasized AI literacy within the Education 5.0 framework to train digital construction managers. He cited the need for reliable power, fast internet, and solar energy investment. Sovereign data control through local hubs for land records was another point. Automating building permits with AI could slash approval times from weeks to hours. He pushed for strong public-private partnerships, with the government viewing business as a strategic ally beyond just tax collection. With the right tools, he concluded, Zimbabwe could become a tech center for the SADC region.
