South Africa launches locally made IRIS AI Humanoid Tutor plant

Developed by BSG and Technologies, the project is led by founder and CEO Thando Gumede, who is seeking to move IRIS beyond development into local production and wider use in South African schools.

South Africa's push to develop more advanced technology locally has gained momentum with the launch of a manufacturing plant and showroom for the homegrown IRIS AI Humanoid Tutor at Dube TradePort in Durban, a project expected to combine artificial intelligence, education and local manufacturing while creating new employment opportunities.

Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Dr Nomalungelo Gina welcomed the launch, saying the initiative could create as many as 20 000 jobs over the next five years through manufacturing, technical support, training and the wider innovation ecosystem.

Developed by BSG and Technologies, the project is led by founder and CEO Thando Gumede, who is seeking to move IRIS beyond development into local production and wider use in South African schools.

Local manufacturing could create thousands of jobs

Gina described the localisation of IRIS manufacturing as an example of how South African innovation can address practical challenges while supporting industrial development and creating opportunities for young people.

Her remarks were delivered on her behalf by Dr Anitha Ramsuran, Manager for Transformation and Innovation for Inclusive Development at the Technology Innovation Agency, which operates under the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation.

Gina said stronger cooperation between government and private companies would be important in supporting locally developed technologies and building an innovation ecosystem capable of competing internationally.

Local production could also help South Africa move from being primarily a buyer of advanced technologies developed elsewhere towards designing and manufacturing solutions based on challenges experienced within the country.

Dube TradePort Corporation CEO Hamish Erskine said the organisation had invested in digital infrastructure that allows technology-focused companies to operate efficiently and compete in international markets.

IRIS designed to work alongside teachers

The IRIS AI Humanoid Tutor is intended to assist teachers rather than replace them, with its functions including additional learning support, personalised assistance, learner performance analysis and tools that can improve classroom engagement.

Gumede said the idea emerged from her own experience as a teacher, where she saw how educators often spend hours outside the classroom preparing lessons, marking assessments and analysing learner performance.

She developed IRIS as a platform that could help teachers, administrators and learners work together more efficiently while making educational support more widely available.

The newly opened showroom will allow schools, government departments, investors and communities to interact with the technology and explore how artificial intelligence and robotics could be used in education, skills development and other Fourth Industrial Revolution applications.

Seven-year journey turns idea into manufacturing project

Getting IRIS to the manufacturing stage took more than seven years, according to Gumede, who faced difficulties securing funding and convincing others of the technology's potential during its early development.

Without the financial resources to employ software developers, she taught herself coding and software development while continuing to refine the platform. Her work later received recognition in South Africa and abroad, including being named Ms Dot Digital South Africa in 2022 and Ms Tech Universe in 2023.

The move into manufacturing represents a significant change in scale, with the project now seeking to turn years of software and product development into an operation capable of supplying schools while supporting employment in related technical fields.

Ambition to reach 23 000 South African schools

Gumede's longer-term vision is to deploy IRIS across all 23 000 schools in South Africa, with the goal of giving learners access to additional educational support regardless of where they live.

Reaching that scale would require the technology to demonstrate its value in real classrooms, particularly its ability to support educators without adding unnecessary complexity to teaching. The next phase will concentrate on refining IRIS, expanding adoption and allowing teachers, learners and other stakeholders to test its capabilities in practical learning environments.

For government, the project also represents a broader question about South Africa's place in a rapidly changing technological economy. Gina said the country needs to decide whether it will remain primarily a consumer of technology produced elsewhere or strengthen its ability to develop solutions that respond directly to local needs.

If the manufacturing and deployment plans reach their intended scale, IRIS could provide a test of how locally developed artificial intelligence can connect education with manufacturing, skills development and job creation.