A South African company hopes to change the way people across the country and beyond access and engage with artificial intelligence (AI).
Siza AI, built by Durban-based tech developer, Jeeten (Jay) Bhoora, is believed to be Africa’s first fully email-powered AI gateway, designed to serve everyday South Africans, no matter where they are or what device they use.
Unlike conventional AI platforms that rely on fast Internet, smartphone apps or user logins, Siza is entirely accessible through email, still the most widely-used and universally understood digital tool on the continent.
“If you can send an email, you can use Siza,” says Bhoora. “And you don’t need an app or a credit card. That’s what makes it powerful. It meets people where they are, not where the tech world expects them to be.”
Siza means “assist” in isiZulu.
The platform responds in multiple local languages, including English, isiZulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans, Hindi, Telugu, Gujarati and others.
With global concerns about AI replacing jobs, Bhoora believed we can flip the narrative. “In South Africa, AI can actually bridge gaps in education, in access to information, and in productivity. Siza isn’t about replacing people. It’s about removing the barriers that hold them back.”
This is particularly relevant in education, he adds. “With one of the highest unemployment rates in the world, the future doesn’t feel like a promise for many young South Africans, rather a burden. But if we want to tackle unemployment, we must go deeper. We must go to the root. And that root is education.”
South Africa’s learners face many challenges: under-resourced schools, a shortage of qualified educators, and learning materials often written in languages many learners don’t speak at home. “For too long, brilliance has been held back by barriers like these,” says Bhoora.
Through tutor@siza.email, learners can receive bilingual explanations in subjects like mathematics and science for free, helping them grasp complex concepts in both their home language and English.
“It’s not just about passing exams,” Bhoora adds. “It’s about building confidence, giving clarity, and helping learners find their voice. When we unlock education, we unlock employment, innovation, dignity, and hope.”
Siza AI has begun partnering with NGOs such as UrGlobal, founded by Luleka Mkuzo, to introduce AI literacy into under-resourced schools.
The platform also offers dedicated email AIs for other everyday needs, and Bhoora aims to develop specialised email AIs for key areas of South African life, including labour law, business compliance, and public services.
Siza AI runs on open-source models and has been designed for transparency and accessibility.
“Siza AI is designed for maximum accessibility,” explains Bhoora. “At its core are two types of email addresses, BASE and PRO, each tailored to meet different needs, without requiring logins, apps, or complex interfaces.”
BASE addresses are free to use and designed for everyday educational and workplace support. Examples include tutor@siza.email and workcoach@siza.email, intended for learners and professionals respectively. To use them, a person simply sends an email with their question, and Siza responds.
PRO addresses are specialised and require tokens to use. They offer expert-level assistance in specific areas, such as legal or technical domains.