Digital Innovation &

Artificial Intelligence
Tools for
Small Businesses
Professor Abejide Ade-Ibijola

A leader on our continent. UJ. Second in South Africa and in Africa. THE BUSINESS
Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings. of REIMAGINING
www.jbs.ac.za YOUR FUTURE
 Meet the Team
Introducing the facilitation team responsible for JBS Innovation
Lab’s Digital Innovation and Artificial Intelligence Tools for
Small Businesses.

Bosun Kazeem Andile Thabethe Ilhaan Fortuin

Project Coordinator Lab Assistant Lab Assistant

Andrew Arthur Shaun van der Merwe Sabelo Zindela Kabena Ilunga
Lab Assistant Lab Assistant Lab Assistant Lab Assistant

Tendo Mbambisa Thato Tsosane Cebolenkosi Gumpo Jane Khoabane

Lab Assistant Lab Assistant Lab Assistant Lab Assistant

Ayush Bhadra Takunda Mumvuma Edwin Malatji

Lab Assistant Lab Assistant Lab Assistant

Professor Abejide Ade-Ibijola

Founder and Head of the JBS Innovation Lab
 AI4BIZ
Digital Innovation and Artificial Intelligence
for Small Businesses
(Hybrid) 2023/2024

Study Guide
2023/2024 Academic Year

JBS Innovation Lab

Johannesburg Business School
University of Johannesburg

Prof. Abejide Ade-Ibijola

October 2023 to March 2024

3
Prof. Abejide Ade-Ibijola AI4BIZ — Study Guide 2023

1 Dictionary
In this section, we present action words that you may be exposed to in this study guide or during your period
of taking this module.

Apply Put to practical use or make use of a relevant equation or law.

Calculate Determine the value, using formulae or specific calculation methods.
Classify Group concepts or subjects together based on certain characteristics or com-
monalities.
Compare Point out the similarities and differences between objects or points of view.
The word contrast can also be used.
Convert Transform a quantity expressed in one unit to a quantity expressed in another
unit.
Define Give a short and clear description of a term or concept.
Demonstrate Show clearly/prove/make clear by reasoning or evidence/illustrate and explain,
especially with many examples.
Derive Deduce or infer something from the given information.
Describe Tell in detail how a process works or how a subject appears. You need not
comment on the process or the subject or give your own point of view.
Differentiate Find differences between objects or statements.
Discuss Explain terms or concepts in your own words. Give comments or give your
own point of view.
Distinguish Write down the differences between subjects or concepts.
Draw Create a drawing, diagram or representation of a subject or concept.
Explain Write about the subject in your own words. Clarify or give reasons – it may be
useful to use examples or illustrations. You must prove that you understand
the content.
Formulate Express in a concise, systematic way.
Identify Establish the identity or recognise a process.
Illustrate Explain by means of detailed descriptions and drawings.
Interpret Explain or clarify the meaning of a concept/value.
List/Name Briefly write down the facts or main points.
Motivate Give reason(s) for your answer.
Name Nominate or specify a site or process.
Organise Arrange data according to certain criteria.
Predict Use the facts available to derive an outcome.
Relate Show the relation/connection of entities, how the concepts can be linked.
Solve Find an answer by using critical thinking and/or calculations.
Summarise Briefly state/list/write down only the most important detail/facts.
Understand Show insight into or know the meaning/nature of a concept or term.

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Prof. Abejide Ade-Ibijola AI4BIZ — Study Guide 2023

Contents

1 Dictionary 4

2 Introduction 6

3 Lecturer 6
3.1 Info . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
3.2 Contact Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

4 Module and Schedule 7

4.1 Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
4.2 Work Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

5 Teaching and Learning Strategy 10

6 Skills Training — Artificial Intelligence and Applications 11

7 Assessment Criteria 11
7.1 Examinations Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

8 Departmental Information 11
8.1 Programme Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

9 Profile of Facilitator 12

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Prof. Abejide Ade-Ibijola AI4BIZ — Study Guide 2023

2 Introduction
Your study guide: Your study guides are a very important component of your learning on this programme.
Please ensure that you have diligently read through the entire content pages of this study guide.

Blended delivery: A blended learning approach is used for this programme. Some sessions will be con-
ducted live using an online virtual teaching tool. Students are required to have access to a computer
and stable internet access to log in and join the live stream. The face-to-face sessions will be immer-
sive and will expose students to handson sessions at the JBS Innovation Lab, Johannesburg Business
School.

3 Lecturer
3.1 Info
The Trainer for this module in 2023 till 2023 is Prof. Abejide Ade-Ibijola (“Prof. Jide” for short, pronounced
“Prof Gee-Day”). He has 15 years of teaching experience and has won several teaching and learning awards.
He has taught many similar modules in the last 15 years, such as Artificial Intelligence for Digital Trans-
formation, Algorithms with Java, Database Fundamentals, Game Design and Development, and Software
Development. His profile is appended to this learning guide.

His research interests are in: problems and algorithms in Artificial Intelligence, the applications of for-
mal grammars (string or picture grammars) in the synthesis of things, programs (analysis, comprehension,
and/or synthesis), special-purpose compilers, theoretical computing, and lately, digital transformation.
He is also interested in any domain where algorithms may find applications; or where computers can be
“asked nicely/algorithmically” to perform human tasks.

You can browse his profiles with any of the following links:

• JBS Website:
https://jbs.ac.za/prof-abejide-ade-ibijola/

• LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/abejide/

• Google Scholar:
https://scholar.google.co.za/citations?user=yV98MIcAAAAJ&hl=en

• Personal Website:
http://www.abejide.org

• Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/kingsman_academic_official/

• Social Project:
www.gritlabafrica.org

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Prof. Abejide Ade-Ibijola AI4BIZ — Study Guide 2023

3.2 Contact Information

Lecturer Professor Abejide Ade-Ibijola

Telephone 011-559-1989
Office Room 216, JBS Park
Lab Innovation Lab, LG003, JBS Park
Email or Queries [email protected] or [email protected]
Consultation By appointment (please request by email).
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kingsman_academic_official/

4 Module and Schedule

4.1 Purpose
The purpose of this module is to practically teach the applications of Artificial Intelligence and
other Digital Technologies to the development of small businesses.

Topics covered include:

1. Review of Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Publisher, and Outlook)

2. Business Starter Pack

3. Invoicing

4. Customer Segmentation and Product Development

5. User Behavior Analytics

6. Visualisation of Customer Feedback

7. Web Analytics and User Behaviour Analytics

8. Customer Feedback Collection and Analytics

9. Proposal Generation for New Market

10. Content Creation, Curation and Presentation

11. Pitch Deck and Presentations

12. Business Planning and Strategy

13. Letter Generation

14. Customer Support Chatbots, with WhatsApp Integration

15. Software Prototyping

16. Software Costing

17. Forensics and Background Technology Checks of Entities

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Prof. Abejide Ade-Ibijola AI4BIZ — Study Guide 2023

18. Website Design

19. Google My Business (GMB) Dashboard

20. Business Collaboration

21. Business Finance

22. Email Marketing

23. Marketing Advertisement Campaign

24. Video and Educational Marketing

25. Event Marketing and Brand Consistency

26. Search Engine Optimization

27. Avatars and Visual Designs

28. Global Market Expansion and Media Engagement

29. Multi-Channel Marketing and Customer Emotional Analysis

30. Social Media Marketing and Engagement

You will be assessed as competent if you can use AI and other digital technology solutions to create
solutions for the running of your own business.

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Prof. Abejide Ade-Ibijola AI4BIZ — Study Guide 2023

4.2 Work Schedule

Weekly work will be carried out as follows:

Figure 1: October-November 2023 Schedules

Figure 2: November 2023 Schedules

Figure 3: November-December 2023 Schedule

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Prof. Abejide Ade-Ibijola AI4BIZ — Study Guide 2023

Figure 4: February 2024 Schedules

Figure 5: February-March 2024 Schedules

Figure 6: Finale — March, 2024

5 Teaching and Learning Strategy

A blended teaching and learning approach is followed in this module. This means that learning is facilitated
by more than one support resource, e.g., monthly in-person sessions, online sessions, build sessions (where
small businesses build together with tutors), WhatsApp support — Innovation Lab, and a study guide; each
of which is complementary to the other.

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Prof. Abejide Ade-Ibijola AI4BIZ — Study Guide 2023

6 Skills Training — Artificial Intelligence and Applications

This module contains several skills training sessions for the use of advanced technological tools. The knowl-
edge from these training sessions will be used by students to create products or to support their businesses.

7 Assessment Criteria
All assessments are compulsory. A weighted average of 50% constitutes a pass. Assessments not handed in
on due date will not be marked and 0% awarded.

The different weightings of the assessments work as follows; for semester mark:

Task Weight Date

Weekly Activities (Pulse Checks) 30% Weekly
JBS Innovation Lab Immersive Experi- 10% Date TBA
ence
Monthly Pack Submission 40% Monthly (as per schedule)
Final Hackathon 20% 15th and 16th March 2024
Total 100%

7.1 Examinations Type

Due to the problem solving nature of this module, it will be continuously assessed weekly using using the
instruments indicated previously. The composition of all marks will constitute the final mark. There are no
written examinations for this module.

8 Departmental Information
You may direct all further queries to the programme manager: Ms. Bosun Kazeem.

8.1 Programme Manager

Telephone: (061) 662 6300

Email: [email protected]

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Prof. Abejide Ade-Ibijola AI4BIZ — Study Guide 2023

9 Profile of Facilitator
Please see next page.

Page 12 of 17
 Kingsman Academic

Professor Abejide Ade-Ibijola

Professor of Artificial Intelligence and Applications
 Snapshot
Professor Abejide Ade-Ibijola
† B.Sc. Hons. (First Class Honours), M. (Distinction in Research), PhD (Wits)
† MICSIT, MIITPSA, MIAENG, MIETI, Fellow of TED, NRF-Rated

Title Professor
First Name Abejide
Last Name Ade-Ibijola
Field Artificial Intelligence and Applications
Primary Position Full Professor at the University of Johannesburg
Other Positions Distinguished Professor at Woxsen University
Social Project Founder and Chairman at GRIT Lab Africa
Publisher The Kingsman Academic Magazine
Email [email protected] | [email protected]
Website www.abejide.org | www.gritlabafrica.org

2-Time 2018 100+ 80+

VC’s Award Winner Dean’s Award Winner Recognitions Publications

2-Time Winner
South African Public Service Innovation Award

15 years+ NRF Africa 3-Time

Experience Rated Impact Awardee Africa Continental Award Winner

R12,158,987.59
Raised in Research, Innovation, and Development Funds

65 M&D 2023 Overall

Major T/L, R&D Awards Supervised to Completion Academic Excellence
 Profile

Background

P
rofessor Abejide Ade-Ibijola holds a PhD in Computer Science (Artificial
Intelligence — program comprehension) from the University of the Wit-
watersrand, Johannesburg in 2016. Prior, he had bagged a Bachelor’s
Honours degree (with First Class Honours) in Computer Science, and a
Master’s in Advanced Computer Science (with Distinction in Research) — serious
games and AI.

He is currently a Full Professor of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Applications at the

Johannesburg Business School (JBS), University of Johannesburg (UJ), South
Africa. He is rated by the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa,
and he has published 80+ articles in recognised outlets on AI algorithms, and
innovations for solving real-world problems. In his 15+ years of experience, he
has taught several modules at all levels and supervised master’s and doctoral
candidates to completion. Outside of academia, Abejide has worked in the
software industry (across domains such as financial markets, serious games in
public health and education, and technology consulting), and created several
innovations for the government of South Africa.

Excellence Awards, Grants and Funding

Abejide has won 65 major teaching, research and innovation awards and secured
over R12 million rands in funding towards research, innovation, and social devel-
opment (training of youth technopreneurs, and unemployed graduates). He is
the winner of the UJ CBE Dean’s Top Senior Lecturer Award 2018 (in a faculty of
338 academics), a Two-time Winner of the UJ Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished
Awards for the Innovation of the year 2019 (Valued at R500,000.00), and Teacher
Excellence 2020 (Valued at R150,000.00).

Abejide is also a winner at the South Africa’s Department of Public Service (DPSA)
Ignite Hack Innovation Award 2018, the winner of SA Department of Communica-
tions Living 4IR Hackathon Overall Best Innovation of 2019, Two South Africa’s
State IT Agency (SITA) Public Service Innovation Awards in 2019. In 2020, he

ii
 iii

secured software licenses for the entire UJ community, worth over $1.5 Billion
US Dollars.

In May 2023, he was named twice as a finalist of the: Africa Tech Leader of
the Year Award and his social project (GRIT Lab Africa), as Africa Educational
Technology Award at the Africa Tech Week Awards in Cape Town, South Africa.
Abejide also received the Africa Impact Award at the Deep Learning IndabaX
Nigeria for the same social project (GRIT Lab Africa) in June 2023. In October
2023, Abejide won the award for the Overall Academic Excellence in South
Africa at the Nigerian Community Excellence Awards in Pretoria, South Africa.

Abejide’s career is decorated with over 100 awards and recognitions.

Institutional Positions
At the JBS, Abejide is the Founder and Lead of the Research Group on Data,
Artificial Intelligence, and Innovations for Digital Transformation, the Director
of the Postgraduate Diploma Programme, and the Chairperson of the Centre
for Entrepreneurship’s Advisory Board. He also heads the Innovation Lab of
the JBS, known to produce immersive experiences, video games, mobile/web
app solutions, and a range of algorithmic solutions. At UJ, he is a member of
the Academy of Distinguished Teachers, he serves on the Teaching Portfolio
Assessment Committee (TPAC), and he is also a member of the Senate’s Teaching
and Learning Committee.

Intellectual Properties and Commercialisation

Abejide has invented several technological tools across the spectrum (virtual
reality experiences, video games, AI algorithms, mobile and web applications,
etc). Two notable commercialised products from his inventions are:

Learn and Earn Mobile App: This App allows students to sell products for three
companies (Tupperware, Table Charm and Avon Justine). In the 2019 aca-
demic year, 390 students used this App, generating a turnover of R3 million.
This resulted in R750 000 paid out to the students in the form of commission.
This App has made more returns year-on-year thereafter.

Teaching and Module Evaluation Web App: This App saves the University of Jo-
hannesburg exactly R2 million rands annually in software license that was
previously paid to a company in the Netherlands. The App facilitates the
teaching and module evaluation for the entire UJ community, 50,000 stu-
dents and about 10,000 staff members use this App.

Abejide has authored over 60 proprietary technological tools, with some under-
going commercialisation.
 iv

Innovations for the Government of South Africa

Abejide currently holds consulting positions at the Chemical Industries Education
& Training Authority (CHIETA), where he is training 30+ students in software
development while he creates two major software applications for: the disburse-
ment of grants and online assessments operations of CHIETA. He also consults
for the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP) where
he delivered 12 AI-driven technological innovations for service delivery in May
2023 — for the improvement of service delivery. In 2022, Abejide led the training
team that up-skilled 150 unemployed graduates in computer programming for the
Education, Training and Development Programme (ETDP) — Sector Education
and Training Authority (SETA).

International Positions and Activities

Abejide is a Visiting Distinguished Professor of Artificial Intelligence at the
School of Business, Woxsen University, Hyderabad, India (also an advisory board
member of the AI Research Centre at Woxsen), and holds several academic,
consulting, and advisory positions around the world. He manages a Blockchain
Node for Bloxberg, Munich, Germany, and has recently given invited talks at
University of Oxford, United Kingdom and at Cornell University, New York, USA
on Artificial Intelligence and Applications.

Social Impact in Africa

Abejide is the Founder and Chairman of GRIT Lab Africa (a social project for
training young Africans in Grit and programming). At GRIT Lab Africa, Abejide
mentors 116 young people across 38 higher institutions of learning in 11 African
countries (Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Tan-
zania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe).

At the University of Johannesburg (UJ), he currently mentors 500+ students, and

has directly mentored 2000+ students in the last seven years. In 2022, he paid
out R 1, 111, 587.38 in wages to 33 students for work-integrated learning, while
training these students to become software engineers across diverse range of
technologies. This number is currently at R 1, 349, 168.68 in 2023. In July 2023,
Abejide launched a free programming bootcamp for undergraduate students at
the UJ across all faculties/disciplines and this received 598 applications (accept-
ing 477 for the Bootcamp) across the university.

Abejide is the publisher of The Kingsman Academic Magazine, a publication that

showcases the technological innovation of his mentees.