AI is rapidly evolving, and if you are still just using it to polish your writing outputs and suggest travel itineraries, then you are falling behind the curve. AI has already shifted from an assistive tool to an operating layer. This is of particular concern for founders, professionals and decision-makers who don’t yet understand how to deploy AI in process design, brand leverage, automation, agent-based systems and competitive positioning.
Are you experimenting with AI – or are you building capability with it?
This is the crucial question right now for the decision-makers in Cape Town’s business ecosystems. It is the distinction that will define the next few years. Many professionals have a sense of this shift from curiosity to competitive edge. They know AI can do more than generate text or summarise documents. But what remains unclear is how to move on from experimentation and productivity hacks to structured, operational implementation.
For instance, how do you:
- Build AI into workflows without overwhelming your team?
- Use generative systems to strengthen brand positioning?
- Design process flows that reduce cost while improving quality?
- Position your business for the African AI shift rather than reacting to it?
These are not abstract questions; they are operational ones.
The AI Masterclass Summit, taking place at the President Hotel in Cape Town from 19th – 20th March 2026, has been designed for exactly this stage of the AI journey. It is for founders, professionals and decision-makers who are responsible for measurable outcomes, and who want to go beyond surface-level AI use with confidence. This is not a conference built around inspiration. It is a working room where participants engage directly with leading AI experts.
AI in an African operating environment
AI adoption in developing economies means navigating unique infrastructure constraints, regulatory evolution, capital sensitivity and uneven digital maturity across sectors. AI Masterclass Summit speakers bring both continental and global perspectives to the room.
- Mic Mann, CEO of UBU and Co-CEO of SingularityU South Africa, works at the intersection of exponential technologies and ecosystem development across Africa. His focus is not on hype, but on translating emerging technologies into practical growth strategies that make sense in real markets.
- Suvana Rohanlal, DevOps Engineer at G Adventures and Head of Partnerships for the South African chapter of Women in AI has a track record of breaking barriers in STEM and technology. She combines hands-on technical expertise with community leadership, working to empower more women to participate and lead in the evolving AI ecosystem.
- Dr Kamien (Kamlen) Pillay is the Founder & CEO of InUversal Group, a healthcare and MedTech innovator focused on precision medicine, preventative wellness and next-generation health solutions across Africa and will unpack how AI is transforming personal healthcare.
Building your AI strategy
Founders, professionals and decision-makers need to understand the intersection of technology, marketing and transformation when it comes to implementing AI in real operating environments.
- Bryan Banfield, Managing Director of Artibeus IT in Cape Town, brings more than two decades of technology leadership experience to the AI Masterclass Summit. Serving SMEs and the education sector, he focuses on solving complex operational challenges and helping organisations leverage technology strategically to build resilience and sustainable growth in an AI-driven landscape.
- Danielle Hein Timmins, Chief Digital, Data & AI Officer and Co-Founder of Freerange Creatives, shares her expertise in marketing science, strategy and AI innovation in African markets. She is an Advisory Council Member for Harvard Business Review and an advocate for AI for Good.
- Dean McCoubrey, Co-Founder of Humaine UK, specialises in guiding leadership teams through practical AI integration across branding, marketing and revenue growth. A four-time agency founder and former EdTech entrepreneur, he focuses on disciplined AI transformation – helping leaders build internal capability, navigate uncertainty and ensure technology adoption remains strategically aligned and human-centred.
Human leadership in an AI era
Are you fit to lead an AI-driven organisation? As AI becomes more embedded in work, questions of ethics, education and wellbeing rise alongside productivity. Teams look to their leadership for direction and guidance in harnessing AI-driven operations for good. AI is a human shift before it is a technological one. Leaders need to know how to integrate the technology without creating chaos and despair.
On this topic, the AI Masterclass Summit will feature thought leaders such as Dr Karen Walstra who works with institutions on sustainable AI integration and modern learning design, focusing on aligning technology with human brilliance rather than replacing it. In healthcare and longevity innovation, voices like Dr Kamien Pillay and James Raaff explore how intelligent systems can support precision health, anticipatory care and long-term wellbeing.
The space for people who execute
The upcoming Cape Town edition of the AI Masterclass Summit is capped at 100 participants. The format is intentionally immersive with laptop-open sessions, structured masterclasses, facilitated discussion and curated connection.
For founders, professionals and decision-makers who feel the pressure of acceleration but want clarity rather than hype, the timing matters. The next 12 to 24 months will shape how organisations position themselves in relation to AI. Capability built now will grow, while delays create more distance.
The AI Masterclass Summit takes place at the President Hotel, Cape Town, on 19th – 20th March 2026. For those who are ready to move beyond prompts – the work begins here. For programme details and registration information, visit www.aimasterclasssummit.com.
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