Propella Business Incubator, in collaboration with its ICT Program alumni BATSAMAYI Software Developers launched the first Tech Series Workshop titled Conversational AI: AI for Business Efficiency supported by the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber.
The Tech Series is aimed at providing businesses with contextualised insights into Artificial Intelligence, Intro to Web Applications, Internet of Things (IoT) and Introduction to Cloud Computing for Government & Corporates.
On the day of the workshop, the room was packed with participants for Conversational AI: AI for Business Efficiency. The session attracted a diverse group of professionals, entrepreneurs, and tech enthusiasts. The workshop provided them with a comprehensive look into the transformative impact of Conversational AI on business operations, enhancing efficiency.
Session 1: Introduction to AI by Stephan Mudler
The workshop commenced with an Introduction to AI: Large Language Models, Generative AI and the Invention of the Century by Stephen Mudler. Stephan is a MSc in Computer Science student at Nelson Mandela University and Machine Learning Researcher for Spiderweb-Labs. He covered on topics relating to large language models, the different kinds of AI and how to use them effectively. Stephan concluded by providing insights on how data is received and stored by AI.
Stephan commented and said “AI right now, is like the early days of the internet. We don't know what it will develop into, but the people who ignore it will be left behind.”
Session 2: BATSAMAYI EXPERTS
Following Stephan’s introduction, Kelly Edwards, the Executive Manager of BATSAMAYI led the workshop unpacking the Fundamental of Conversational AI. Sandile Ngwenya (Product Engineer) and Dalekile Modikwe (DevOps Engineer) provided a detailed look at how ChatGPT, a leading conversational AI model, is transforming business operations and enhancing customer interactions
"BATSAMAYI was thrilled to be able to convey fundamental principles of Conversational AI with attendees and hope that they found value in it. By better understanding the tools available to us, we are able to better utilise them - which in turn contributes to efficiency. This is really what AI is all about: being able to do the same thing, but faster. We hope that this is the overarching message that attendees took home."
Mandela Bay Business Chamber’s Strategist Programmes Officer, Nick Marriott introduced the partnership commented on the workshop and said “It was interesting to see how the AI Tech works in basic terms. I think this removed a lot of the fear that people have about AI. Also, knowing that Batsamayi are right here, to assist with AIi development that would be beneficial for business, was a great eye opener. I will be contacting them.”
The event concluded with a Q&A session, allowing attendees to discuss their learnings, share ideas, and engage with the AI experts. The workshop received overwhelmingly positive feedback from attendees. Participants appreciated the practical approach and the opportunity to gain hands-on experience with AI technologies. Attendee, Natalie Lategan said, “The workshop was very educational and presented in an easy manner for everybody to understand”, while Viwe Teko shared, “It’s very great, much more informative and it gets us to really know much more about AI and how we can use it into conversations while also giving it more context, so that we can know and get better answers towards it. I’m looking forward to the next event.”
Propella remains committed to promoting technological advancement and supporting the growth of startups and businesses through educational workshops and community events. Stay tuned for more exciting events that aim to empower and inspire professionals in the rapidly evolving tech landscape.
