Page 28 - EngineerIT Nov-Dec 2025

FROM HYPE TO HARD NUMBERS -
FROM HYPE TO HARD NUMBERS -

key trends for unlocking AI ROI in

Africa in 2026

he era of adopting artificial To unlock value, businesses must find the "sweet spot": high-impact
intelligence simply because initiatives that are not prohibitively expensive to start, says De Wit.
Tit is the "must-do cool “While there is no definitive global standard for measuring AI ROI
thing" is officially over. As African yet, it cannot be treated as "magic and fairy dust." Businesses
businesses look toward 2026, the must measure the cost and complexity equation against the
focus has shifted entirely from broad impact to decide if a project provides value before sinking
experimentation to demonstrable capital into it.”
return on investment (ROI). According
to Cliff de Wit, chief innovation Employee productivity as the first frontier
officer at Accelera Digital Group While many companies look immediately to customer-facing
(ADG), the market is entering a phase chatbots, De Wit argues that the most tangible ROI often comes
of discernment where business value from servicing employees first. Most organisations must
takes precedence over novelty. balance internal capabilities with customer services.
Starting with internal productivity offers results
Moving from experimentation to that are easier to measure.
measurement
De Wit says that the initial wave of "Starting by improving employee
AI adoption saw many organisations productivity is a good way to get ROI,"
investing large sums without a clear explains De Wit. "For example, using an
understanding of the return. That AI bot to assist a legal team can reduce
era of experimentation is rapidly work that would usually take weeks into
changing. While customers know minutes, saving significant time and fees."
they need to implement AI, they are
becoming increasingly specific about Cliff de Wit, Chief Innovation Officer at
the why. Accelera Digital Group (ADG),

28 | EngineerIT November/December 2025