Cassava Technologies launches Cassava AI

Infrastructure and digital services provider Cassava Technologies has launched a dedicated artificial intelligence (AI) business unit, Cassava AI.

In a statement the company said the new business unit will build on the company's existing partnerships with tech companies like Microsoft, Google, AWS, Anthropic, Oracle, Atlas AI, Cerebras and Palo Alto Networks.

"Cassava AI, headquartered in London, has the capacity to provide services across the 40+ markets in Africa, the Middle East and Latin America where Cassava operates," explained Cassava President and Group CEO Hardy Pemhiwa.

He said that veteran technology and telecoms executive Ahmed El Beheiry will lead the business unit.

Cassava AI will offer services encompassing data centers, cloud, cybersecurity, fiber connectivity and renewable energy.

It has already trained over 200 AI specialists within its workforce of 5,000, ready to guide clients in adopting generative AI (GenAI).

Cassava's African movements

Cassava opening an AI business unit, comes at a time when the company has been investing in Africa as well as signing partnerships that work with those investments.

Just last month, its data center business, Africa Data Centres, announced that it was expanding its data center facility (CPT1) in Cape Town, South Africa, to add another 6MW of IT load, effectively doubling its current capacity in the city.

To meet the growing demand for cloud computing services in South Africa, Africa Data Centers already announced plans to expand its data center capacity using a R2 billion (US$112 million at the time) financing solution arranged by Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) in June, 2024.

Technology and telecoms executive Ahmed El Beheiry will be the head of Cassava AI. (Source: Cassava Technologies)

In March, Cassava's other business unit, Liquid C2, collaborated with Google Cloud and AI company Anthropic to deliver advanced cloud and cybersecurity solutions and GenAI capabilities to businesses across Africa.

That deal builds on a previous partnership with Google Cloud, which was announced in November 2023 at Africa Tech Festival in Cape Town, South Africa.

Want to know more? Sign up to get the weekly Connecting Africa newsletter direct to your inbox.

That expansion announcement followed a 2023 pledge to invest a total of 4.5 billion South African rand (US$249 million at the time) in investment in South Africa through its business units – Liquid Intelligent Technologies, Africa Data Centres and Distributed Power Africa.

*Top image is of Cassava President and Group CEO Hardy Pemhiwa. (Source: Cassava Technologies)

— Matshepo Sehloho, Associate Editor, Connecting Africa