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Minister of ICT, Postal and Courier Services, Hon.Tatenda Mavetera has called for stronger partnerships between universities, Government and industry to turn artificial intelligence (AI) research into affordable technologies that can be adopted by businesses and sustained in public services.
Speaking at the Midlands State University Research, Innovation and Industrialization Expo, Mavetera said Zimbabwe needed to move beyond AI research and focus on developing solutions that address specific industrial and public-sector challenges.
She said AI would contribute to industrialization when institutions were organized to transform research into practical solutions that reduce costs, improve productivity and strengthen public services.
“For Zimbabwe, that challenge is inseparable from Vision 2030 and our ambition for a prosperous, modernized, upper-middle-income society,” Mavetera said.
She urged universities, industry and Government to identify clearly defined problems and develop joint projects with measurable outcomes rather than pursuing technology without establishing its practical value.
She said research teams should work directly with industry from the beginning, with companies providing real-world problems, data and technical input while universities contribute research expertise and students gain practical experience.
Mavetera also said the transition from a successful prototype to a dependable product required field trials, user feedback, documentation, intellectual property support and business development.
“Government should help create conditions in which sound local solutions can compete for adoption,” she said, adding that public procurement could support local innovation by defining problems clearly and requiring evidence of performance.
She also called for investment in shared research infrastructure, including reliable electricity, connectivity, computing resources and properly managed data.
According to figures cited from the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) first-quarter 2026 sector performance report, the country had approximately 13.9 million active internet and data subscriptions, representing a five percent increase from the previous quarter.
Mavetera said the figures demonstrated the growing digital environment but cautioned that subscriptions should not be confused with the number of unique people accessing the internet.
She also cited 231,800 machine-to-machine subscriptions, saying such connectivity could create opportunities for universities and industries to research applications involving sensors, equipment monitoring, energy management and product traceability.
Mavetera said innovators should therefore design technologies for Zimbabwean conditions, including uneven connectivity, device and data costs, different languages and varying levels of digital literacy.
She also called for AI systems to be designed with accountability, privacy and human oversight, particularly where automated systems are involved in decisions affecting citizens.
She said the success of AI-driven innovation should ultimately be measured through tangible outcomes such as reduced production costs, lower equipment downtime, improved agricultural decisions and more reliable public services.
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