Published: Wed Jan 28 2026
Hasab AI was built from a simple belief: technology should understand the languages people actually live and work in. Founded by software engineers with hands-on experience building in Africa’s digital space, the company focuses on speech and language Artificial Intelligence (AI) for under-served languages across Africa and the Middle East. From transcription to translation and conversational systems, Hasab AI aims to make AI useful, inclusive, and context-aware so every conversation counts. They have launched products like Notetaker, which understands Amharic, and an AI Telegram bot that works in Amharic and Afaan Oromo, and they are developing upcoming call automation AI solutions.
Our speaker, Kidus Yared, co-founder and CEO of Hasab AI, presented both his company and the future of Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) in light of emerging AI technologies.
According to Kidus, AI is here to stay but will not solve all problems. Given the nature of the sector, BPO is likely to be one of the most affected industries. Traditional BPO services such as call centers, basic coding, and website development are under threat, while areas like data collection, annotation, and authentic content creation are expected to grow. For individuals, pursuing skills in machine learning and cloud technologies is a better way to build a sustainable future, and upskilling and adopting AI are becoming requirements for professionals even outside the BPO sector.
Kidus noted that BPO companies adopting AI could gain 40–50% efficiency. For founders, AI can ease barriers to entry, but it will also intensify competition.
Therefore, focusing on rising demands, monitoring developments, experimenting with new systems, and validating solutions quickly will give BPO companies a competitive edge in the era of AI.