https://en.sputniknews.africa/20260122/how-made-in-africa-ai-tutor-is-forging-its-educational-future-1082711516.html
How Made-in-Africa AI Tutor is Forging Its Educational Future
How Made-in-Africa AI Tutor is Forging Its Educational Future
Sputnik Africa
This episode of Pan-African Frequency showcases an African-led innovation—IRIS, a multilingual AI robot tutor— and explores the bold vision behind it to boost... 22.01.2026, Sputnik Africa
2026-01-22T15:58+0100
2026-01-22T15:58+0100
2026-01-22T15:58+0100
pan-african frequency
sputnik africa
africa
podcasts
artificial intelligence (ai)
sovereignty
education
pan-africanism
south africa
technology
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.africa/img/07ea/01/16/1082711344_0:67:1280:787_1920x0_80_0_0_f13747a598ce0f025c582a403fdd699c.jpg
How Made-in-Africa AI Tutor is Forging Its Educational Future
Sputnik Africa
This episode of Pan-African Frequency showcases an African-led innovation—IRIS, a multilingual AI robot tutor— and explores the bold vision behind it to boost learning outcomes, and reshape African education from the ground up.
In the global race to harness artificial intelligence, Africa’s narrative is often dominated by breakthroughs from established Western tech capitals. Yet, a profound shift is occurring, where the most contextually transformative innovations are emerging from the very communities they aim to serve. The story of Thando Gumede, from South Africa, who engineered the multilingual AI tutor named IRIS, exemplifies this new frontier. Her journey from identifying a local need, to create a globally resonant solution forms the core of this episode of Pan-African Frequency.What sets IRIS apart is its foundational design for the African context. The robot is not a translated import but a native creation, fluent in 7000 languages, including 11 of South Africa’s languages, other indigenous languages of Africa and beyond. This is the system’s revolutionary core, ensuring that language never stands in the way of learning.To conclude, Thando addresses the pervasive fear that AI will be a net disruptor of jobs, arguing instead for a vision where Africa actively steers the technology to empower and create. IRIS stands as a tangible counterpoint to the notion of technological displacement in Africa, and it's positioned as a tool for teacher enhancement and student empowerment.This episode also features:Discover more insights from our outstanding guests on the Pan-African Frequency podcast, proudly brought to you by Sputnik Africa.In addition to the website, you can also catch our episodes on Telegram.► You can also listen to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Deezer, Pocket Casts, Afripods, and Podcast Addict► Check out all the episodes of Pan-African Frequency
africa
south africa
Sputnik Africa
feedback@sputniknews.com
+74956456601
MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“
2026
Adeola Oyewole
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.africa/img/07e9/06/1e/1074889850_174:0:748:574_100x100_80_0_0_8f9b883efa50c8a20c5d57c79b195d1a.jpg
Adeola Oyewole
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.africa/img/07e9/06/1e/1074889850_174:0:748:574_100x100_80_0_0_8f9b883efa50c8a20c5d57c79b195d1a.jpg
News
en_EN
Sputnik Africa
feedback@sputniknews.com
+74956456601
MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“
Sputnik Africa
feedback@sputniknews.com
+74956456601
MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“
Adeola Oyewole
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.africa/img/07e9/06/1e/1074889850_174:0:748:574_100x100_80_0_0_8f9b883efa50c8a20c5d57c79b195d1a.jpg
sputnik africa, africa, podcasts, artificial intelligence (ai), sovereignty, education, pan-africanism, south africa, technology, digital technology , аудио
sputnik africa, africa, podcasts, artificial intelligence (ai), sovereignty, education, pan-africanism, south africa, technology, digital technology , аудио
How Made-in-Africa AI Tutor is Forging Its Educational Future
This episode of Pan-African Frequency showcases an African-led innovation—IRIS, a multilingual AI robot tutor— and explores the bold vision behind it to boost learning outcomes, and reshape African education from the ground up.
In the global race to harness artificial intelligence, Africa’s narrative is often dominated by breakthroughs from established Western tech capitals. Yet, a profound shift is occurring, where the most contextually transformative innovations are emerging from the very communities they aim to serve. The story of Thando Gumede, from South Africa, who engineered the multilingual AI tutor named IRIS, exemplifies this new frontier. Her journey from identifying a local need, to create a globally resonant solution forms the core of this episode of Pan-African Frequency.
“I couldn't find someone who can actually develop my app with the budget that I had. So I'm like, let me just teach myself. So I taught myself IT, those coding robots, everything that you see based on IRIS [...] Basically the reason why we started the IRIS is because we had our teachers in mind, we have our public schools in mind so that we can align ourselves with the current era,” Gumede explained.
What sets IRIS apart is its foundational design for the African context. The robot is not a translated import but a native creation, fluent in 7000 languages, including 11 of South Africa’s languages, other indigenous languages of Africa and beyond. This is the system’s revolutionary core, ensuring that language never stands in the way of learning.
“When we were developing Iris, we started with English, of course, like everybody starts with English. I'm like, okay, we have our students who can't even speak English, who can understand and then that's the only way we're leaving them out when we're not actually adding our South African or African languages. By the way, she doesn't only speak our South African languages, not only the 11. She actually speaks now more than 7,000 languages,” She noted
To conclude, Thando addresses the pervasive fear that AI will be a net disruptor of jobs, arguing instead for a vision where Africa actively steers the technology to empower and create. IRIS stands as a tangible counterpoint to the notion of technological displacement in Africa, and it's positioned as a tool for teacher enhancement and student empowerment.
“Let me just point it out that we are forever going to need our teachers to be teaching. We are not going to change that. There are things that Iris can’t do that our teachers will forever do,” the innovator pointed out.
This episode also features:
Dr. Mandefro Nigussie, Director General of the Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute
Discover more insights from our outstanding guests on
the Pan-African Frequency podcast, proudly brought to you by
Sputnik Africa.
In addition to the website, you can also catch our episodes on
Telegram.► Check out all the episodes of Pan-African Frequency 
