ILO Launches WhatsApp AI Adviser to Give Entrepreneurs Instant Business Support

To help close that gap, the International Labour Organization (ILO) has introduced SABY, short for SIYB AI Buddy for You, a conversational AI business adviser created to make entrepreneurship support more accessible and easier to use.

Entrepreneurs often face important business decisions without having easy access to expert advice. Questions about pricing, customer acquisition, record-keeping, marketing, or managing expenses can arise at any stage of a business journey, and finding reliable guidance at the right moment is not always straightforward.

To help close that gap, the International Labour Organization (ILO) has introduced SABY, short for SIYB AI Buddy for You, a conversational AI business adviser created to make entrepreneurship support more accessible and easier to use. Built on the organization's well-established Start and Improve Your Business (SIYB) programme, the tool combines practical business knowledge with generative artificial intelligence to offer guidance through everyday conversations.

The launch forms part of the ILO's wider effort to use digital technologies in ways that extend access to trusted expertise. Rather than focusing only on delivering information, the initiative is designed to help entrepreneurs apply knowledge to real business situations and make stronger decisions that contribute to sustainable enterprises and decent work.

A Business Adviser Available Through a Familiar Channel

Running a business involves a constant stream of choices. Entrepreneurs need to assess whether an idea has potential, determine pricing strategies, understand customer needs, manage operational costs, and identify opportunities for growth. Many small business owners, especially those outside formal support networks, struggle to obtain timely and affordable advice when these questions arise.

SABY offers an alternative by giving entrepreneurs a space to discuss ideas, challenges, and business plans through an interactive dialogue. Users can present a new business concept or seek guidance for an existing enterprise, receiving support on topics that include customer research, costing, pricing, marketing, business operations, and overall management.

What makes the tool different from many general AI assistants is its foundation in the ILO's entrepreneurship development methodology. Instead of supplying broad, one-size-fits-all responses, SABY engages users with questions that help clarify their circumstances and encourages them to evaluate possible solutions based on their own business realities.

Designed to Work Alongside Human Support

The service operates through WhatsApp, allowing entrepreneurs to access guidance through a platform they already use regularly. There is no additional application to install and no new system to learn, making it easier for business owners to seek advice whenever challenges emerge and return for continued support as their businesses develop.

The ILO emphasizes that SABY is not intended to replace entrepreneurship training programmes or professional business advisers. Structured training remains valuable for building knowledge and learning from peers, and human advisers continue to provide practical experience, local understanding, and professional judgement. SABY serves as an extra layer of support that can be used before training, during learning programmes, after course completion, or whenever an entrepreneur needs help with a particular decision.

Early Adoption and Future Development

The tool was first introduced through SIYB trainers in Kenya and has since been used by entrepreneurs in several African countries. Users have turned to the platform for assistance with record keeping, sales monitoring, marketing activities, business growth strategies, and customer negotiations. Feedback from early users has pointed to the benefit of receiving immediate responses and being able to continue discussions through follow-up questions as new challenges emerge.

Development efforts are also progressing in Jordan, where work is underway on a localized version. The planned adaptation will help connect entrepreneurs with local business support services and provide guidance related to relevant regulations and pathways that can support business formalization.

SABY represents an important step in the ILO's exploration of practical and responsible uses of artificial intelligence. By delivering trusted business knowledge through a simple conversation, the tool seeks to help entrepreneurs make informed decisions, strengthen their enterprises, and create more sustainable economic opportunities within their communities.