Faustine Ngila

In this interview with Impact Newswire, Noah Labs AI chief executive Murat Isik examines how artificial intelligence can be safely and effectively deployed inside some of the most secure defence and intelligence environments, where air-gapped systems, strict compliance regimes and entrenched legacy codebases continue to limit the adoption of mainstream AI development tools. He outlines the structural constraints that shape AI use in these settings, including disconnected networks, rigid data governance rules and long-standing security protocols that prevent the use of cloud-connected tools such as Copilot or Cursor in operational contexts. Against this backdrop, Isik argues that a widening sovereign AI gap is emerging between rapidly evolving commercial AI workflows and slower, constrained government systems, raising questions about whether defence organisations risk being left behind as AI becomes embedded in everyday software development.

The Botswana Savings Bank is accelerating its technology-led transformation as it seeks to become Botswana's primary banking institution, investing in digital platforms, self-service solutions, payment systems and agency networks to meet changing customer expectations. The state-owned lender says more customers are moving away from traditional branch-based banking and adopting mobile applications, internet banking, USSD services and electronic payment channels, prompting banks to rethink how they deliver financial services. The expansion comes as competition intensifies across Botswana's banking sector, with lenders increasingly using technology to improve convenience, widen access and support financial inclusion, particularly among communities with limited access to physical banking infrastructure.

In this interview with Impact Newswire, Jarryd Kennedy, CV VC Head of Investments Africa, discusses the fifth edition of the CV VC African Blockchain Report and examines how blockchain is evolving from an experimental technology into a critical component of Africa's digital infrastructure. Kennedy discusses why African startups are increasingly applying blockchain to solve practical economic challenges, including cross-border payments, financial services, identity verification, artificial intelligence coordination and data authentication. He explains how the continent's experience with mobile money has created a foundation for the next wave of digital innovation, why investors are increasingly backing startups with ambitions beyond single-country markets, and how regulatory progress and institutional adoption are shaping the future of Africa's blockchain ecosystem.

For nearly two decades, Alan Greenspan helped redefine the role of the US central bank, shaping how policymakers responded to financial crises, how banks managed risk and how investors viewed the Federal Reserve's ability to protect the economy from turmoil.

A dispute over access to decades-old geological records that could help unlock the Democratic Republic of Congo's mineral wealth has pitted Belgium against a US-backed mining startup, with both sides arguing over who should control data collected during the colonial era.

OpenAI and Broadcom have unveiled their first custom artificial intelligence chip, marking the ChatGPT maker's move into designing its own silicon as it seeks to reduce reliance on external suppliers and expand its computing capacity.

Japan's Self-Defense Forces used USB drives infected with malware linked to a Chinese hacking group on computers handling sensitive military information for nearly a year, raising concerns over possible exposure of classified data and highlighting weaknesses in the country's defence cybersecurity.

Standard Chartered Plc is exploring the sale of its Wealth & Retail Banking (WRB) business in Ghana, as the lender continues to streamline operations and focus on markets and client segments where it sees the strongest growth opportunities.

Morocco's central bank governor Abdellatif Jouahri says he is confident the country will reach a positive outcome in talks with European countries over rules affecting Moroccan banks serving citizens living abroad.

IBM has unveiled a new chip design it says could allow manufacturers to pack nearly 100 billion transistors onto a silicon chip the size of a fingernail, marking a potential breakthrough in the race to develop smaller and more powerful semiconductors.