A proudly South African innovation is poised to transform the way people across the country and beyond access and interact with artificial intelligence.
Introducing Siza AI, Africa’s first fully email-powered AI gateway, designed specifically to serve everyday South Africans, no matter where they are or what device they use.
Built by Durban-based tech developer Jeeten (Jay) Bhoora, Siza AI marks a major leap forward in inclusive digital transformation. Unlike conventional AI platforms that rely on fast internet, smartphone apps, or user logins, Siza is entirely accessible through email, the most widely used and universally understood digital tool on the continent.
“If you can send an email, you can use Siza,” says Bhoora. “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.”
Local language, local context, local impact
True to its name, Siza means “assist” in isiZulu. The platform is purpose-built to empower, educate, and support South Africans. It responds in multiple local languages, including English, isiZulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans, Hindi, Telugu, Gujarati and others, making it a tool that truly speaks to the people it’s built for.
Whether it’s helping a learner understand a math concept in their home language, offering affordable insight into body corporate law, or guiding a small business owner through the Companies Act, Siza AI delivers clear, accurate responses in under a minute.
With global concerns about AI replacing jobs, Bhoora is determined to flip the narrative. “In South Africa, AI can actually bridge gaps in education, in access to information, and in productivity,” he explains. “Siza isn’t about replacing people. It’s about removing the barriers that hold them back.”
Nowhere is this more critical than in education. “With one of the highest unemployment rates in the world, the future doesn’t feel like a promise for many young South Africans, but rather a burden,” says Bhoora. “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. “Siza was born to break these barriers.”
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. These tools are just the beginning.
Bhoora’s vision is to develop specialized email AIs for key areas of South African life, including labor law, business compliance, and public services, to empower people with practical, affordable knowledge that helps them move forward with confidence.
“This is more than just technology,” Bhoora says. “It’s about rewriting South Africa’s story. And we believe Siza is just the start.”
Smart tech without the gatekeeping
Importantly, Siza AI is not a closed or corporate-controlled system. It runs on open-source models and has been intentionally 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.
“Our BASE addresses are purposely simple to use and free of charge. They’re built to serve real people facing real challenges, whether that’s a high school learner or someone trying to build better workplace rapport.”
PRO addresses are specialized and require tokens to use. They offer expert-level assistance in specific areas, such as legal or technical domains. For instance, bodycorp@pro.siza.email helps trustees, managing agents, and body corporate members navigate South Africa’s complex sectional title laws.
Bhoora explains, “We introduced PRO addresses to support more technical use cases, while keeping our BASE addresses free for those who need them most. The token model helps us ensure sustainability and fairness.”
“We’re building something open, local, and collaborative,” says Bhoora. “Siza AI is practical and built for real-life constraints. And it’s optimistic, rooted in the belief that when people are given tools that work for them, they’ll surprise you every time.”
