#TEDxCT speaker profile: Babusi Nyoni

Give us some background about yourself and your career/initiative?

Nyoni: I’m a 28-year-old self-taught designer/developer and my work originates from a need to bring something new into the world. I started off drawing on anything I could find while growing up in Bulawayo and eventually got into computer-aided design. My foray into digital was led mainly by my frustrations in getting my work out the way I wanted it to look and I haven’t looked back since.

Is this your first TEDx presentation and how are you feeling about it?

Nyoni: This is my first TEDx talk and while I’m anxious about it, I’m also very excited to get my idea out on such a large and recognised platform.

What is your interpretation of the theme Here/Hear to Listen?

Nyoni: When I first heard of the theme my initial thought was “be present.” Because oftentimes people “listen” so as to form a response and to me the theme suggests actively listening to understand, to learn, to grow.

How will your presentation relate to the theme?

Nyoni: My presentation is on artificial intelligence and a huge part of AI is listening to data. It involves listening to a large amount of data over time and learning from it and eventually acting on it.

What are you looking forward to the most about TEDxCapeTown this year?

Nyoni: I’m looking forward to being inspired by my peers, getting my idea out to the world and at least one Kanye West song at the afterparty.

TEDxCapeTown 2016: Tech-enabled to go green and enhance audience experience

For the first time since 2011, TEDxCapeTown is committed to a more tech-enabled team and delivery of the event. Audience members can expect to experience a web-enabled application, implemented by Accenture South Africa, allowing them to view the programme of the day, listed speakers and their bios and directly engage via the TEDxCapeTown social channels in-app.

For the second consecutive year, Accenture South Africa has decided to partner with the largest TEDx event on the African continent, to demonstrate and share contributions to innovation. Accenture strongly identifies with the ethos of TEDx which exists to discuss ideas worth spreading.

“Accenture and TEDx believe passionately in the power of innovation to change attitudes, perceptions and behaviours. In South Africa, Accenture remains committed to playing a strategic role in supporting our clients and helping to drive sustainable economic growth,” says Suren Govender, managing director of Accenture Analytics, part of Accenture Digital. “Our focus at TEDx this year really is to listen to the ideas local TEDx folks have and assist by translating these ideas – from strategy to outcome – into meaningful and actionable results that could contribute to job creation and growing the economy.”