Artificial intelligence is no longer a conversation about the distant future.
It is already changing how businesses operate, how people work and where new opportunities emerge.
The bigger question now is not whether exponential technologies will reshape business. It is where the opportunities are, how quickly organisations should act and how they can prepare their people for what comes next.
Those questions will take centre stage in Johannesburg this October as Singularity Summit South Africa 2026 unveils its full programme.
Taking place at the Sandton Convention Centre on Wednesday 21 and Thursday 22 October, the two-day Summit will bring together more than 40 speakers from around the world to explore the technologies, ideas and shifts shaping the future of business and society.
The Summit is presented in collaboration with Old Mutual, with Google Cloud and the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) as event sponsors, and UBU as metaverse partner.
A global lineup arrives in Johannesburg
The final programme adds several major names to an already extensive speaker lineup.
Newly announced speakers include Felix Cheung, Founder and CEO of the Bairong Group in China; Kim Hulett, biotech entrepreneur and founder of Next Biosciences; and Shayne Mann, co-CEO of Singularity South Africa and CEO of Mann Made.
They are joined by Ran Neuner, founder of Crypto Banter; Hywel George, global investor and former chief investment officer; Marko Stavrou, creator economy specialist; and Rajesh Pasungili, founder and CEO of Resolute Education.
They join previously announced speakers including 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.
Together, the lineup brings perspectives from technology, investment, entrepreneurship, leadership, robotics, biotechnology and digital transformation.
AI takes centre stage
Artificial intelligence will be one of the defining themes of the Summit.
Speakers will explore the rapid evolution of AI, including the challenge businesses face when moving from experimentation to real-world implementation.
The discussion will also examine what the next generation of AI could mean for organisations and their people.
But AI will not be the only focus.
The programme will also explore digital transformation, leadership, entrepreneurship, investment, robotics, the future of cities and the changing skills needed in an increasingly technology-driven economy.
For business leaders, the conversation moves beyond simply understanding new technology.
It is about understanding what to do with it.
“The conversation around technology has shifted significantly. 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,” says Mic Mann, co-CEO of Singularity South Africa.
From the boardroom to the future of work
For delegates, the Summit is designed to create space to step away from the demands of day-to-day business and look at the bigger forces reshaping the world.
“The Summit creates an opportunity to step outside the day-to-day demands of running an organisation and engage with the bigger shifts taking place. The aim is for delegates to leave better informed, better connected and with a clearer sense of where the opportunities lie,” adds Shayne Mann, co-CEO of Singularity South Africa.
That focus extends to one of the most important questions surrounding technological change: people.
Technology meets human potential
Old Mutual says the future will not be defined by technology alone.
It will also depend on how people and organisations choose to use it.
Celiwe Ross, Group Chief Human Capital and Corporate Affairs Officer at Old Mutual, encourages business leaders, investors and professionals from across industries to join the conversation.
Her focus is on preparing people and organisational cultures for a world where technological change is accelerating.
The opportunity, she says, lies in thinking differently about how technology can unlock human potential, create new opportunities and contribute to more inclusive growth.
For organisations, that means preparing people for change rather than simply preparing for the next technology.
An African lens on a global technology shift
Although the Summit brings international expertise to Johannesburg, the programme will also examine technological change through an African lens.
The discussions will look at how businesses across the continent can harness emerging technologies.
They will also explore where new opportunities for innovation and investment are developing, as well as how African entrepreneurs and innovators can play a greater role in shaping the global technology landscape.
That combination of global expertise and African context gives the Summit a broader purpose.
It is not simply about watching technological change happen.
It is about asking where Africa can participate, innovate and create opportunity.
More than keynote speeches
The programme extends beyond keynote presentations.
Delegates will have access to panel discussions, AI workshops and masterclasses designed to upskill and empower the community.
An interactive expo will also showcase emerging technologies and innovations.
Networking opportunities will bring together speakers, executives, entrepreneurs and fellow delegates, creating space for conversations that can continue beyond the stage.
With more than 40 speakers contributing across two days, the programme is positioned as a meeting point for ideas, business opportunities and perspectives on what comes next.
Johannesburg gets a front-row seat to the future
The unveiling of the full programme marks the final stage of the build-up to Singularity Summit South Africa 2026.
For two days, Johannesburg will become a meeting point for global and African innovators, entrepreneurs, investors, business leaders and technology specialists.
And the timing could hardly be more relevant.
As AI and other exponential technologies accelerate change, the organisations that understand the opportunity — and prepare their people to respond — will be better positioned to navigate what lies ahead.
The Summit promises to put those questions firmly on the table.
Singularity Summit South Africa 2026
Dates: Wednesday 21 and Thursday 22 October 2026
Venue: Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg
Standard ticket: R20,500 in person
Metaverse ticket: R5,800
Tickets booked before 30 September 2026 are available at these prices, with limited availability. The next pricing packages take effect on 30 September 2026.
All prices include VAT.
For more information, regular updates and bookings, visit singularitysouthafricasummit.org.
