AI begins reshaping
daily life

From cargo depots to classrooms, AI is poised to reshape daily life

• Widespread adoption: With 78% of businesses using AI, it’s no longer niche — it’s a key driver of innovation across industries.
• Real-world impact: From City Logistics optimising delivery routes to Loora offering 24/7 English tutoring, AI is creating scalable, accessible solutions.
• Challenges remain: While AI is helping improve mental health care access, concerns around privacy and bias highlight the need for careful implementation.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has evolved from a futuristic buzzword into a real-world business tool. No longer confined to research labs or Big Tech, it’s driving meaningful change in sectors that touch people’s lives daily, from education and mental health to logistics. Hostinger estimates that around 78% of businesses worldwide use AI, with the global AI market expected to be worth a staggering $826.7-billion by the start of the new decade1.

In the education space, AI is opening doors that were previously closed. Loora, for example, is an AI-powered English tutor that provides non-native speakers with around-the-clock access to tailored language instruction. For many, this tool is more than a convenience but rather a pathway to broader career and social opportunities. It’s scalable, personalised, and, perhaps most importantly, accessible to learners without proximity to formal institutions. 

_{Photo courtesy Loora.}

Meanwhile, in logistics, companies are increasingly exploring AI’s potential to unlock greater efficiency and resilience. City Logistics, one of South Africa’s oldest and most trusted logistics providers, is part of this forward-looking conversation. From dynamic route optimisation to predictive maintenance systems, AI technologies are reshaping how logistics companies approach everyday operations. City Logistics recognises the technology’s strategic value and is actively engaging with how it may influence the future of delivery. 

The company has already introduced business intelligence (BI) reporting tools to gain greater visibility across billing and operational processes. For its eCommerce service, City Logistics uses WhatsApp for Business, tailored to its business rules, to inform customers of delivery times and other updates. This has created a more streamlined communication service. 

“Customer service is no longer just about answering questions. It’s about precision and speed across every touchpoint,” said Ryan Gaines, CEO of City Logistics. “Our role is to assess technologies like AI in the context of long-term resilience. It’s about understanding where automation can support our teams in focusing on complex, high-value delivery challenges. That is where long-term trust is built.”

However, AI hasn’t just been applied to fleets within the logistics industry. According to Nerd For Tech, a self-described educational media house, security also benefits from this technology. AI-enabled surveillance systems are being used in warehouses and vehicles. It goes beyond simple security cameras and alarms; these systems can identify abnormal behaviour and flag potential security threats2.

Together with driver ID systems and access-control tags, these AI-driven tools can prevent unauthorised use or entry into forbidden areas and send alerts if theft or tampering is suspected. This proactive approach improves visibility and mitigates risk across the supply chain. 

And it’s not just education and logistics where AI is changing how individuals and industries interact. In the mental health space, AI enables broader and earlier access to care – an essential breakthrough in a world where mental health expertise isn’t widely available to many who require it. Chatbots and virtual therapists now offer 24/7 support for basic mental health needs. At the same time, more advanced systems can monitor a person’s speech and behaviour, as well as biometric signals, to detect early signs of stress or depression. 

While these advancements are nothing short of amazing, there are several concerns, particularly in the mental health space, where ethical changes surrounding bias mitigation, confidentiality and privacy, for example, remain hindrances. Despite this, many believe that AI (specifically machine learning and data mining) has the potential to aid mental health practitioners in providing greater care to patients4.

Across these varied sectors, the common thread is AI’s ability to personalise support and streamline complexity. For learners and patients, it’s a gateway to better outcomes. It’s a way for logistics players to stay ahead in a fast-moving industry. 

Sources:

1. https://www.hostinger.com/in/tutorials/how-many-companies-use-ai
2. https://medium.com/nerd-for-tech/ai-in-fleet-management-redefining-logistics-in-the-digital-era-7dbc7a6db95e 
3. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949916X24000525 
4. https://global.sacap.edu.za/blog/applied-psychology/the-impact-of-ai-on-mental-health/