Artificial Intelligent
NetOne Challenges Manicaland Students to Build Zimbabwe’s AI Future
Hundreds of learners, educators, and industry leaders gathered in Manicaland province for an Artificial Intelligence Conference and Workshop designed to steer the regions youth toward a technology driven future.
Held under the theme “Innovate, Industrialize and Create Employment with AI,” the event examined the rapid growth of artificial intelligence, its impact on education, and its role in shaping future career paths.
The gathering drew a wide range of stakeholders, including school heads, teachers, Media partners, Marymount Teachers College staff,Potraz, business entrepreneurs, and NetOne, alongside a room full of young innovators.
Delivering remarks at the conference, NetOne Regional Manager Willard Mazhani said technology is already reshaping the nation’s economic landscape.
“At NetOne, we believe that AI is not merely a technology of the future it is the engine driving Zimbabwe’s digital transformation today,” Mazhani told the audience.
He noted that artificial intelligence is actively transforming major sectors across the country, including healthcare, agriculture, education, mining, manufacturing, and financial services. As Zimbabwe’s pioneering mobile network, Mazhani said NetOne remains committed to connecting communities while equipping young people with the digital skills needed to lead in the future.
Mazhani said that while AI systems can assist with real-time fraud detection, threat identification and network fortification. The same technology that is frequently exploited for malicious purposes.
“That is why AI and cybersecurity must always go hand in hand,” Mazhani stressed, pointing to growing threats such as phishing, identity theft, and deepfakes.
He said NetOne is investing heavily in intelligent infrastructure designed to strengthen network resilience, flag suspicious activity, and protect consumer data behind every mobile money transaction, phone call, and internet session.
Turning his attention to the students in attendance, Mazhani urged them to look beyond conventional career limitations.
“To the students gathered here today, you are the generation that will build Zimbabwe’s AI ecosystem,” Mazhani said. “Some of you will become software engineers, cybersecurity specialists, robotics experts, data scientists and digital entrepreneurs. The opportunities are limitless.The jobs of the future will not only be sought they will be created by innovators like you.”
As NetOne marks 30 years of connecting the nation, the company continues its evolution from a traditional telecom provider into a comprehensive digital solutions partner, laying the groundwork for a secure, smart, and prosperous digital future through initiatives that promote digital inclusion and technical access.
