Online Reporter
Business Reporter
THE Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) will later this month host the inaugural national Artificial Intelligence (AI) challenge in Mutare to accelerate technology-driven innovation.
The AI for Impact Challenge (AI4I) will run from July 27 to August 1, 2026, bringing together multidisciplinary teams of software developers, designers, data scientists, policy experts, legal practitioners and sector specialists to develop AI-powered solutions to real-world challenges.
Participants will focus on priority sectors, including agriculture, health, education, financial inclusion and public service delivery, with the initiative expected to strengthen Zimbabwe’s digital economy while supporting productivity and service delivery.
POTRAZ is jointly organising the challenge with the Minister of Information Communication Technology (ICT), Postal and Courier Services, the International Telecommunication union (ITU) and the Zimbabwe Centre for High Performance Computing.
In his remarks ahead of the event, POTRAZ Director-General Dr Gift Machengete described the initiative as a critical step towards operationalising Zimbabwe’s AI strategy.
“This represents one of the first major national programmes designed to translate the strategy’s aspirations into practical interventions that deliver measurable impact.
“AI4IChallenge builds on its annual Innovation Drive Challenge but places artificial intelligence at the centre of Zimbabwe’s innovation agenda, reflecting the regulator’s evolving role in supporting emerging digital technologies alongside telecommunications infrastructure,” said Dr Machengete.
ICT Minister Tatenda Mavetera said the AI for Impact Challenge is the first major implementation programme under the Zimbabwe National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (2026-2030), launched by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in March.
“The AI for Impact Challenge has been conceived as the implementation framework for the AI Grand Challenge envisaged under the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy. It is AI for Impact because what is important is actually the impact.
