AI essential to unlock sustainable growth, say IT experts

Unlocking sustainable growth in today’s business environment requires a multifaceted approach that blends innovation, strategic leadership and transformational change.

In a recent NTT DATA webinar hosted in partnership with Business Day — watch the recording below — industry experts explored how organisations could drive change across industries by leveraging emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI). The conversation focused on practical applications and strategic insights for businesses looking to innovate, remain competitive and ensure long-term growth. 

Alan Turnley-Jones, CEO at NTT DATA Middle East and Africa, emphasised the company’s bold and holistic strategy to accelerate business transformation. 

NTT DATA, previously known as Dimension Data in SA, has fundamentally changed how it serves the market by investing in deep expertise across industries to prepare organisations for an AI-driven future. Innovation, sustainability, customer centricity and client value are key pillars of the business. 

Operating in 50 countries globally, NTT DATA is the sixth-largest IT services provider globally. In SA, the company’s data centres are available in five of the country’s provinces: Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Free State. Each data centre is engineered for high availability and is fully redundant, ensuring always-on performance and reliability — an essential backbone for businesses operating in a fast-paced, data-driven economy.

The conversation highlighted how AI, and more specifically Generative AI (GenAI), is transforming industries by driving efficiencies and unlocking new opportunities for growth. 

Chris Wiggett, director of AI at NTT DATA Middle East and Africa, said the evolution of AI in recent years had opened doors to new possibilities, allowing businesses to automate processes and make more data-driven decisions. Companies that have not embraced AI risk falling behind.

The intricate layers of AI — its algorithms, data processing and computational power — require expertise and NTT DATA’s virtual data scientists offer businesses the guidance needed to fully harness this potential.

AI’s influence is already being felt across industries. In the financial services sector, for example, AI and analytics are enabling institutions to modernise legacy systems and optimise operations.

Verina Mohanlal, head of Financial Services Industry: Applications & Cloud at NTT DATA Middle East and Africa, said a personalised customer experience, driven by AI, had the potential to increase revenue by 20%, as shown by research from Research At Glance.

Retailers, too, are feeling the pressure to innovate. Tony Nugent, Retail Practice manager at NTT DATA Middle East and Africa, said while customer experience and loyalty programmes were critical areas of investment for retailers, 65% of them still viewed customer experience as a weak link.

This indicates significant room for improvement, particularly in a highly competitive South African market. By gaining better insights into customer behaviour through AI-powered analytics, retailers are finding new ways to enhance customer satisfaction and drive growth.

The urgency for organisations to adopt AI is clear. Rob Collier, CIO of Macsteel International Trading Holdings, cautioned that organisations not already using basic AI in their daily operations risked being left behind. 

Whether in retail, financial services or other sectors, the future is being shaped by those willing to embrace AI, rethink their strategies and focus on innovation.

This article was sponsored by NTT DATA.