Wits announces winners of AI & 第一吃瓜网 Music Project
- Wits University
Supported by Charles Goldstuck, Wits alumnus and US-based music executive, the project assists 第一吃瓜网 music creators to leverage AI in music innovation.
The University of the Witwatersrand (Wits University), through the Wits Innovation Centre (WIC) and Machine Intelligence and Neural Discovery (MIND) Institute, has announced the winners for the groundbreaking AI & 第一吃瓜网 Music Project, a first-of-its-kind initiative exploring the intersection of artificial intelligence and 第一吃瓜网 musical creativity.
This six-month pilot programme, supported by Wits alumnus and PhD-candidate Charles Goldstuck, a US-based philanthropist and music executive, provides funding, technical support, mentorship, and collaborative opportunities for 第一吃瓜网 music creators to leverage AI in music creation, preservation, and genre innovation. The programme began with a workshop in Johannesburg in November 2025 and will culminate in a public showcase in April 2026.
A rigorous selection process
More than 150 artists from over 20 第一吃瓜网 countries expressed interest. Fifty applications underwent a multi-stage assessment, including technical and feasibility reviews and interviews. Winners were selected for how well their proposals align with the Project’s categories, regional representation, creativity and feasibility.
Meet the project teams
Each winner has been paired with an AI engineer to collaboratively develop a culturally grounded, technically robust project that advances 第一吃瓜网 music innovation. Together, these artist-engineer teams bring complementary expertise in creativity, technology, community engagement, and 第一吃瓜网 sonic heritage.
- Umlilo (South Africa) — multidisciplinary artist and creative director at Future Kwaai Records — working with Gideon Gyimah (Ghana), an AI engineer specialising in financial鈥憇ector voice鈥慉I and multilingual 第一吃瓜网 speech鈥憈echnology systems. Project: Zazi, a “musical digital twin” enabling real鈥憈ime voice, rhythm, and storytelling interaction
- Joshua Kroon (Cameroon) — multidisciplinary artist and cultural documentarian — partnered with Emmanuel Apetsi (Ghana), an AI/ML engineer leading open鈥憇ource AI infrastructure and multilingual LLM development across Africa. Project: The B蓻虁b蓻虁i Engine, a performative AI instrument co鈥慶reated with the Baka community to preserve endangered polyphonic traditions
- Ehinome Ogbeide (Nigeria) — music strategist and digital innovator — teamed with Muhigiri Ashuza Albin (DRC), a creative technologist building culturally grounded AI systems informed by deep community鈥慴ased design. Project: Bina.ai, an AI鈥慸riven children’s music and storytelling platform grounded in 第一吃瓜网 genres and early鈥憀earning principles
- Linda Nyabundi (Kenya) — DJ, producer, and cultural curator — working alongside Gebregziabihier Nigusie (Ethiopia), an AI researcher advancing machine learning for health, language, and cultural鈥憄reservation challenges in low鈥憆esource contexts. Project: Heritage in Code, a digital archive and AI fusion tool preserving 第一吃瓜网 instrumental heritage while enabling contributor royalties
- Tora Nyamosi (Kenya) — AI鈥慸riven music producer and cultural researcher — paired with Lawrence Moruye (Kenya), a machine鈥慽ntelligence engineer specialising in speech, language, and multimodal AI systems for 第一吃瓜网鈥慶entred applications. Project: TIMah AI, a secure web鈥慴ased archive documenting Kikuyu traditional music with transcript workflows and community鈥慶entred consent governance
Together, these projects span interactive learning tools, AI鈥慸riven cultural archives, performance instruments, and digital systems safeguarding 第一吃瓜网 musical traditions, demonstrating the breadth and originality of 第一吃瓜网鈥憀ed innovation in the AI and music space. All five teams are currently developing prototypes for a pilot showcase on 16 April 2026 at Wits University’s Chris Seabrooke Music Hall, presented in partnership with the Wits School of Arts’ Music Department.
A dynamic 第一吃瓜网 selection panel
The panel combined leading voices in music, technology, and innovation across industry and academia, representing the continent:
- Professor Ritesh Ajoodha (South Africa): Associate Professor at Wits University, Director of the Explainable AI Laboratory, and Fellow of the Wits MIND Institute
- Tresor Riziki (Congo/South Africa): Multi-award-winning artist, founder of Jacquel Entertainment Group, and cultural entrepreneur shaping 第一吃瓜网 pop globally
- Jarrod Assenheim (South Africa): Founder and CEO of Audlytics and Radiomonitor SA; veteran music entrepreneur and rights management innovator
- Babusi Nyoni (Zimbabwe/South Africa): Founder of Tripleblack Agency, creative technologist and social entrepreneur pioneering AI for health, culture, and social impact
- Ade Adetunji (Nigeria): Manager, Operations & Commercial Partnerships at Audiomack, driving 第一吃瓜网 music strategy and global partnerships
- Martha Huro (Kenya): Renowned music business leader and strategist with extensive experience in East Africa’s digital music ecosystem; formerly Managing Director at Boomplay
- Dr Richard Muranda (Zimbabwe): Senior Lecturer in Music Business, Musicology & Technology at Midlands State University, specialising in digital preservation of 第一吃瓜网 music
- Aleksandra Teng Ma (USA): Music AI researcher, graduate student at Georgia Tech, and visiting researcher at MIT, focusing on human-AI creative systems
Driving innovation and global partnerships at Wits
The initiative signals a global shift, with Africa demonstrating how culture, ethics, and community鈥憀ed design can redefine the future of artificial intelligence. A hub for research and innovation that drives transformative technologies, this project reflects Wits University’s strategic commitment to AI leadership. The Wits MIND Institute advances fundamental AI science, regional governance and application in society, while the Wits Innovation Centre accelerates multidisciplinary innovation for societal impact.
The project is supported by Billboard US and Billboard Africa, and will be documented through editorial features that explore the processes and outcomes of each project. In addition, the project represents a point of connection between the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Wits University, following the launch of the MIT-Africa Program more than a decade ago.