Artificial intelligence is moving quickly from the boardroom conversation into everyday business. For organisations trying to keep pace, the bigger question is no longer whether technology will change the way they work. It is how they can turn that change into meaningful opportunity.
That question will take centre stage at Singularity Summit South Africa 2026, taking place at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg on 21 and 22 October. The two-day Summit has unveiled its full programme, featuring more than 40 global and African speakers exploring AI, investment, leadership, entrepreneurship and digital transformation.
Presented in collaboration with Old Mutual, with Google Cloud and the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) as event sponsors and UBU as metaverse partner, the Summit brings together entrepreneurs, investors, innovators and technology specialists from across the world.
The newly announced speakers include Felix Cheung, Founder and CEO of Bairong Group in China; biotech entrepreneur Kim Hulett, founder of Next Biosciences; Shayne Mann, CEO of Mann Made and co-CEO of Singularity South Africa; Ran Neuner, founder of Crypto Banter; global investor Hywel George; creator economy specialist Marko Stavrou; and Rajesh Pasungili, Founder and CEO of Resolute Education.
They join an already diverse line-up that includes AI specialists Amanda Manna and Dario Fanucchi, robotics pioneer Tilly Lockey, enterprise AI leader Barak Kaufman, digital transformation expert Valter Adão, Hamed Kazim and South African inventor Fana Shabane. Acclaimed poet, author and broadcaster Lebo Mashile will also return as the Summit’s Poet and MC.
AI and the future of business
AI will take a prominent place in the programme. Speakers will explore its rapid development and the growing need to move beyond experimentation.
The discussions will look at how organisations can implement AI effectively. They will also consider what the technology means for employees and leadership.
Beyond AI, the programme will examine digital transformation, entrepreneurship, investment, robotics and the future of cities. It will also consider the skills businesses will need as technology continues to reshape the economy.
“The conversation around technology has shifted significantly,” says Mic Mann, co-CEO of Singularity South Africa. “Business leaders are no longer asking whether AI and other exponential technologies will affect their organisations, but where to invest, how to implement them effectively and how to prepare their people for the changes ahead.”
Shayne Mann adds that the Summit gives leaders an opportunity to step away from the daily demands of business and consider the larger forces shaping the future.
The focus extends beyond technology itself. Celiwe Ross, Group Chief Human Capital and Corporate Affairs Officer at Old Mutual, says organisations must also consider the people and cultures behind technological change.
“The future will not be defined by technology alone, but by how people choose to use it,” says Ross. She encourages leaders to consider how technology can unlock human potential, create opportunities and support more inclusive growth.
A global conversation with an African perspective
Although the Summit brings international voices to Johannesburg, Africa remains central to the conversation. Sessions will explore how businesses on the continent can use emerging technologies to create new opportunities.
The programme will also consider where innovation and investment are emerging across Africa. Another focus will be the role African entrepreneurs can play in shaping the global technology landscape.
Alongside keynote presentations, delegates can expect panel discussions, AI workshops and masterclasses. An interactive expo will also showcase emerging technologies and innovations.
Networking will form another important part of the experience. Delegates will have opportunities to connect with speakers, executives, entrepreneurs and fellow business leaders.
With more than 40 speakers across two days, Singularity Summit South Africa 2026 aims to move the conversation around technology beyond prediction and into practical possibilities.
For businesses navigating an increasingly technology-driven world, the Summit offers an opportunity to ask a more important question: what can we build with the future, rather than simply prepare for it?
