Impact

Discover the big ideas that are changing the world. Fast Company SA showcases innovative and creative ideas that could change the world we live in today.

These contact lenses could give you perfectly clear vision

If you wear eyeglasses or contact lenses, this might sound like a sci-fi dream come true: Researchers have designed a new spiral-shaped optical lens that can fix your sight. No matter the distance, or your […]

Tech on Human beings needs Authentic Intelligentia

In between the noise, Elon Musk has been leading a team that has managed to plant wires on a human brain. The wireless brain-computer interface (BCI) developed by one of Elon Musk companies, Neuralink, seeks […]

VC Funding Bias: The real reason behind funding Sam Bankman-Fried and Elizabeth Holmes instead of Black founders

Sam Bankman Fried, former founder and CEO of cryptocurrency exchange FTX, was found guilty of wire fraud, conspiracy, and stealing as much as $10 billion in customer money. Elizabeth Holmes, founder of Theranos, is serving […]

The New Elon Musk X War with Journalists

On Tuesday, X published a roadmap explaining how the social network will be “transforming the global town square” over the coming year. The plans include leaning into features the site rolled out in 2023—things like […]

Tesla charging stations are becoming an industry standard

The White House is lending its support to an auto industry effort to standardize Tesla’s electric vehicle charging plugs for all EVs in the United States, part of a broad effort to stimulate their sales […]

Pope Francis calls for regulation of AI

Pope Francis on Thursday called for an international treaty to ensure artificial intelligence is developed and used ethically, arguing that the risks of technology lacking human values of compassion, mercy, morality, and forgiveness are too […]

The Future of Transportation is here

Once in a while technology makes a significant change that impacts every part of society. In 2024 we are about to witness such an impact in how people move from point A to B. After […]

How to Stop the Onslaught of Fake Content?

It is becoming difficult to distinguish between fake and real identities. Recently, I’ve been exposed to a series of artificial intelligence generated videos and audio material. Most of them are designed to deceive and they […]

17th ICT Summit: The Tech event to hack Eastern Cape challenges

South Africa’s leading thought leaders will convene in the Eastern Cape from the 21st to the 23rd November to discuss tech in the public sector. This discussion will take place under the auspices of the […]

Everywhere Microplastics, the air we breathe and impact on our bodies

Research from 2019 suggests that we might breathe in up to 11.3 microplastics per hour, or up to 272 microplastics in 24 hours. And now, a new study published in the journal Physics of Fluids […]

Transforming Africa’s Future through Technology

There is a significant shortage of tech talent in today’s world, with an expected global deficit of over 85 million tech workers by 2030, according to a recent report by Korn Ferry. Despite this, Africa’s […]

The Big Google Trial starts

The U.S. government is taking aim at what has been an indomitable empire: Google’s ubiquitous search engine that has become the internet’s main gateway. The legal attack will swing into full force Tuesday in a […]

WANTED: Xhosa version of ChatGPT and other Artificial Intelligences?

The rise of Generative AI, an artificial intelligence technology that produces various types of content, including text, audio and synthetic data, raises an urgent need to feature African languages online. When we consider the fact […]

Why is the UN banning smartphones in schools?

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has issued a major report on the role of technology in education. Among the report’s many findings and recommendations, the UN is now urging governments worldwide […]

Mandela Lessons for the Tech and AI Driven World

On Friday last week Elon Musk hosted a Twitter Spaces session to outline the vision of his Artificial Intelligences company (xAI) and an alternative to ChatGPT. On the same day, I had the privilege of […]

Why talk about National Health Insurance and Tech for delivery of health care?

South Africa has an opportunity to deliver one of the most innovative health systems solutions in the African continent. The National Health Insurance can serve as a catalyst for the transformation of SA’s health system […]

Toyin-Ann Yerifor – Creating a Healthy and Sustainable Home: Design Considerations for Improved Wellbeing

As our world becomes more conscious of the impact of human activity on the environment, people are starting to prioritize sustainable practices in their everyday lives. One area where this shift is becoming increasingly visible […]

The Big Ethical AI Debate

The rush to deploy powerful new generative AI technologies, such as ChatGPT, has raised alarms about potential harm and misuse. The law’s glacial response to such threats has prompted demands that the companies developing these […]

The EU Regulator shows Meta (Facebook) some teeth

The European Union, a market of 400 million consumers spread across 26 different countries, has become the world’s most dogged tech watchdog, as evidenced by a recent fine levied against Meta. On Monday, the Irish […]

Huawei calls for solar industry to work together on high-quality PV benchmarks

Huawei has called on players across the solar industry to come together to develop high-quality solar PV benchmarks. The call, which was issued by Mr. Xia Hesheng, President of Huawei Sub-Saharan Africa’s Digital Power Business […]

Huawei pledges to work with partners in the renewable energy era

Huawei Digital Power has held its FusionSolar 2023 Channel Partner Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, during which the tech giant released its latest sustainable energy solutions for residential and industrial applications. Xia Hesheng, President of […]

Going Paperless – CargoX to Plant 10,000 Trees as Electronic Trade Documentation Takes Root

Every year, thousands of trees are used for one specific purpose: to create bills of lading. These critical ocean freight documents historically have only been accepted as paper documents, with digital transformation lagging in the […]

The History of Water As A Weapon

Experts and leaders will soon come together in the thousands at the first UN conference dedicated to water in nearly half a century. At the conference, which begins March 22 in New York, delegates will […]

Naspers Foundry is Dead, Here’s the next (ideal) fund

More than 100 years ago, a group of Afrikaner men met in Stellenbosch to form a publishing entity that would support their cause. After many years of operating as a publishing company it transitioned into […]

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