South Africa, Jan. 14 -- "If you do not have the capacity to be part of the technology shift, then you must partner with who has that capacity."

He emphasises that when tech companies enter into specific markets, they bring a big investment into physical infrastructure.

But for Google, it is more than that; it is about being intentional in that country. "How we become more intentional in capturing the lessons learned and then building localised capacity is a bit of a missed opportunity.

He says it is his job in South Africa to advocate for the local context and make sure Google develops products and shapes innovation within the global Google, with that in mind.

Developing vernacular languages

For example, in 2025, Google has partnere...