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Sage\u00a0(FTSE: SGE), a global leader in accounting, finance, HR and payroll technology,\u00a0today\u00a0announced the\u00a0rollout\u00a0of Sage Ai\u00a0(AI)\u00a0across\u00a0its solutions in\u00a0South Africa,\u00a0select pan\u00a0African markets,\u00a0and the\u00a0Middle East,\u00a0introducing a new generation of trusted, human-first artificial intelligence\u00a0(AI)\u00a0designed to remove administrative burden, strengthen compliance\u00a0confidence and unlock meaningful productivity gains\u00a0and sustainable growth.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Including intelligent tools such as Sage Copilot,\u00a0a generative\u00a0AI assistant, and a growing suite of specialised AI agents\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Sage Ai works securely behind the scenes to automate everyday accounting, finance,\u00a0HR\u00a0and payroll processes while keeping customers firmly in control.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Across Africa\u00a0and the\u00a0Middle East, small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) are facing mounting operational pressure. Administrative and compliance demands are increasing, regulatory complexity is slowing\u00a0decision-making, and cashflow volatility\u00a0remains\u00a0a persistent risk to growth and resilience. At the same time, payroll, tax and reporting have become\u00a0high-stake\u00a0responsibilities, while skills shortages are forcing business leaders to stretch capacity and juggle multiple roles, limiting their ability to focus on growth.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Yet,\u00a0despite these pressures, many SMBs are not fully unlocking the potential of AI.\u00a0Sage\u2019s SBBO\u00a0research\u00a0reveals a clear activation gap in the local market: while\u00a073% of South African SMBs having\u00a0invested in AI, only 47% are using it to drive revenue growth.\u00a0For SMBs, the barrier\u00a0isn\u2019t\u00a0only cost,\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0trust. Concerns around privacy, security and compliance consistently rank among the top factors shaping AI adoption.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Human First. AI Powered.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n Built on more than four decades of trusted\u00a0expertise\u00a0and embedded directly into the systems SMBs rely on,\u00a0Sage Ai\u00a0is powered by proprietary intelligence trained on real world workflows, delivering AI that is practical, trusted and purpose built for business.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe data tells a clear story: African businesses are ambitious and digitally progressive, but they are rightly sceptical of tools that fail to reflect the regulatory and economic complexity in which they operate,\u201d says\u00a0Jordaan Burger, Managing Director, Sage\u00a0Africa\u00a0and Middle East.<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cSage Ai is built on five core commitments: user control, reliable results, transparent explanations, responsible and ethical implementation, and accessible human support. We call this \u2018Authentic Intelligence\u2019 because it\u00a0represents\u00a0a more thoughtful approach to innovation, one that puts people at the centre, embeds trust by design, and applies advanced technology in ways that solve\u00a0real business\u00a0challenges rather than simply introducing new complexity.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n At a group level, our Sage Ai strategy is underpinned by significant, sustained investment in technology, data\u00a0science\u00a0and platform innovation,\u201d says\u00a0Sophia Adhami,\u00a0Senior\u00a0Director\u00a0Product\u00a0Office\u00a0and\u00a0Product Performance\u00a0Execution at Sage<\/strong>. \u201cWe embed AI natively across our portfolio, building proprietary capabilities trained on real world workflows, and strengthening the infrastructure that supports secure, scalable deployment. Authentic Intelligence at this level means combining\u00a0cutting edge\u00a0innovation with rigorous governance, so data\u00a0remains\u00a0protected, decisions are explainable and customers can adopt AI with absolute confidence.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n AI that gets work done securely<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n Unlike generic AI layered on top of business systems, Sage Ai is embedded within the Sage Platform,\u00a0a secure, unified environment where applications, workflows and data connect seamlessly.\u00a0It powers Sage Copilot and specialist AI Agents\u00a0that complete workflows\u00a0end-to-end,\u00a0across the product stack.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0Capabilities\u00a0across Sage\u2019s solutions\u00a0include:<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n Supporting Africa\u2019s digital transformation agenda<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n Across Africa, governments are increasingly prioritising digital infrastructure and data governance as foundations for economic growth, recognising them as critical to competitiveness and as essential as transport networks,\u00a0ports\u00a0and energy.\u00a0In South Africa, the role of data and artificial intelligence has been highlighted by Finance Minister Enoch\u00a0Godongwana\u00a0in the recent\u00a0Budget Speech\u00a0as central to future economic development, with secure and responsible AI adoption now seen as critical to SME resilience, job\u00a0creation\u00a0and cross\u2011border growth.\u00a0<\/p>\n Burger\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>concludes, \u201cOur ambition is clear:\u00a0eliminate\u00a0admin, strengthen compliance confidence, and build the most trusted AI-powered business network across Africa and the UAE. We are freeing businesses from complexity, embedding trusted intelligence into everyday workflows, and enabling SMBs to grow with clarity,\u00a0control\u00a0and confidence in a digital first economy.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n Visit\u00a0Sage South Africa\u00a0for more information and explore\u00a0Sage Ai, including a new short\u2011form\u00a0video series\u00a0designed to demystify AI agents for small businesses and accountants.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \n\n