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Ford says it has hired back some human engineers after AI failed to match their skills and experience.

In a bid to reap the benefits of the tech, which developers claim can cut costs and boost productivity, the US carmaker adopted it across some parts of its operations including for quality checks.

But, according to Bloomberg, external, its executives said the firm has rehired more than 300 “veteran” quality inspectors in recent years to make up for the pitfalls of automated systems.

“Artificial intelligence is a fantastic tool, but it’s only as good as the information you use to train it,” Charles Poon, vice president of vehicle hardware engineering, told reporters.

“Over prior years, we didn’t pay as much attention as we should have to the experience of our most knowledgeable engineers that have been with us through many product cycles,” he said.

The US automaker is among many to have seized on the buzz around AI, particularly amid Wall Street fervour about the tech’s potential to increase margins.

“AI will leave a lot of white collar people behind,” Ford boss Jim Farley said in an interview with author Walter Isaacson last June.

In an October earnings call, external, chief operating officer Kumar Galhotra said the firm was “deploying AI across the entire industrial system”.

This included rolling out 900 AI-powered cameras in its plants “to detect quality issues at the source and help us mitigate supply disruptions”, Galhotra told investors.

But Poon told reporters on Wednesday the firm’s AI-driven checks had failed to live up to expectations.

“Mistakenly, we thought that by just introducing artificial intelligence and ingesting the design requirements that we had, that would produce a high-quality product,” he said.

A Ford truck on a production line, passing through inspection checks, at a plant in Ohio. A female worker wearing a high-vis jacket looks on.
Image source,Bloomberg via Getty Images
Poon reportedly pointed to automated tools lacking the training and expertise of veteran technicians – many of whom he said had left the company before their knowledge could be used to improve its tech.

He said these human workers had since been reintroduced to train up its systems, as well as mentor younger workers.

“We recognised that for us to enhance some of our automation and machine learning and artificial intelligence tools we needed to ensure that they were trained by the most experienced individuals,” he said, per Bloomberg.

Ford’s admission of its AI failings came as it lauded its return to the top of an index used as an industry benchmark to measure vehicle quality.

It said it was the number one mainstream automaker in the US JD Power Initial Quality Study – a ranking it has not held since 2010.

In a press release, external marking the news, the company said “reaching best-in-class quality required a significant talent refresh”.

This involved replacing senior leaders across engineering, supply chain and manufacturing, it said, as well as hiring the roughly 300 veteran engineers “who carry the hard-earned wisdom of decades of design”.

Source: BBC

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For many Zimbabweans, the dream of a better life abroad—in the United Kingdom, Canada, or Australia—is a powerful motivator. It promises economic stability, improved opportunities, and a brighter future for families. Yet, beneath this shimmering facade of hope, a silent crisis is unfolding: the “diaspora divorce” curse. Thousands of Zimbabwean marriages are crumbling shortly after […]

The post The Diaspora Divorce Curse: Why Zimbabwean Marriages are Collapsing the Moment They Leave The Country first appeared on My Zimbabwe News.

HARARE – Zimbabwean plastic piping manufacturer Proplastics Limited significantly expanded its regional footprint during the first five months of 2026, with export sales soaring 139 percent as the company strengthened its position in regional markets despite policy challenges affecting exporters.

The strong export performance increased exports’ contribution to total group revenue to six percent, up from four percent during the corresponding period last year, highlighting growing demand for the company’s products beyond Zimbabwe’s borders.

The latest trading update indicates that Proplastics’ regional expansion strategy is beginning to yield tangible results, with export volumes growing even as local manufacturers continue to contend with foreign currency surrender requirements that have long been cited as a constraint on export competitiveness.

The company has continued to secure new export orders across the region, competing directly with manufacturers from larger regional economies, including South Africa.

Acting Chairman Gregory Sebborn said the company’s export strategy was gathering momentum despite the challenging operating environment.

“Export growth of 139 percent demonstrates that our regional market development strategy is gaining traction. Despite the challenges created by the foreign currency surrender framework, we are continuing to strengthen our competitiveness and expand the reach of our products beyond Zimbabwe,” Sebborn said.

The export growth comes as Proplastics pursues a medium-term objective of increasing exports to account for 10 percent of total group turnover. The current growth trajectory suggests the company is making steady progress towards that target.

Shift Towards Hard Currency Earnings

Alongside rising export volumes, Proplastics has also significantly strengthened its foreign currency revenue base.

The company reported that United States dollar receipts now account for 97 percent of total group turnover, while revenue denominated in Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) represents just three percent.

The changing revenue mix is expected to improve financial stability by reducing exposure to exchange rate volatility and enhancing the company’s ability to fund working capital requirements and future expansion.

“The increase in US dollar revenue to 97 percent of total turnover has significantly improved the resilience of our business model. Combined with higher production and sales volumes, this positions Proplastics to pursue sustainable growth while investing in capacity, inventory and regional expansion,” Sebborn said.

Regional Strategy Paying Off

The latest results underscore a broader strategic shift within Proplastics as it increasingly positions itself as a regional manufacturer rather than relying predominantly on Zimbabwe’s domestic market.

Growing export demand suggests the company’s products are gaining wider acceptance across Southern Africa, supported by investments in product quality, manufacturing efficiency and customer service.

The regional diversification strategy also reduces dependence on domestic construction activity by providing access to a broader customer base across neighbouring countries.

Manufacturing Sector Shows Export Potential

Proplastics’ performance highlights the growing role Zimbabwean manufacturers can play in regional value chains despite operating under relatively high production costs and foreign exchange regulations.

As infrastructure investment and housing development continue across Southern Africa, demand for plastic piping systems and water infrastructure products is expected to remain robust, presenting additional opportunities for Zimbabwean manufacturers with competitive products.

Industry analysts say companies capable of generating hard-currency revenues through exports are likely to be better positioned to withstand domestic economic fluctuations while financing future capital investment.

For Proplastics, the combination of rising export earnings, a predominantly US dollar revenue base and expanding regional market share places the company in a stronger position to pursue long-term growth and further establish itself as one of Zimbabwe’s leading export-oriented manufacturers.

The post Proplastics Accelerates Regional Expansion as Export Sales Surge 139% appeared first on The Zimbabwe Mail.

HARARE – Zimbabwe’s property market is undergoing a significant transformation, with 2026 marking a decisive shift away from the long-held investment strategy of simply acquiring land and waiting for prices to appreciate.

For decades, the country’s real estate sector has largely been driven by speculative land ownership. Investors bought undeveloped residential stands, commercial land and peri-urban properties with the expectation that inflation, urban expansion and persistent demand would steadily push up values over time.

However, changing macroeconomic conditions, evolving investor expectations and the growing sophistication of Zimbabwe’s financial markets are beginning to reshape the sector.

Industry analysts say investors are increasingly evaluating property based on its ability to generate sustainable income, deliver competitive returns and preserve long-term value, rather than relying solely on capital appreciation.

The shift reflects a maturing market where fundamentals such as occupancy rates, rental yields, infrastructure availability, development quality and location are becoming more important in determining investment decisions.

“Zimbabwe’s property market is no longer just about buying and holding land,” one property analyst said. “Investors are becoming more selective, focusing on assets that produce cash flow and can withstand changing economic conditions.”

Commercial property, logistics facilities, mixed-use developments, industrial parks and student accommodation are attracting growing interest as businesses and institutional investors seek predictable rental income.

At the same time, residential developments located near transport corridors, schools, hospitals and commercial centres continue to outperform speculative land holdings in remote areas lacking basic infrastructure.

The emergence of institutional investors, pension funds, real estate investment trusts (REITs) and property funds is also contributing to the market’s evolution. These investors typically place greater emphasis on asset quality, governance standards, occupancy levels and long-term portfolio performance than on speculative gains.

Developers are similarly adapting their strategies by prioritising completed, serviced developments over large-scale land banking. Buyers are increasingly demanding infrastructure such as roads, water, sewer systems, electricity and digital connectivity before committing capital.

The trend is also being reinforced by Zimbabwe’s growing emphasis on formalising investment markets, including efforts to deepen capital markets and introduce innovative investment vehicles that provide alternative ways of investing in property.

Economic realities are further influencing investor behaviour. Higher construction costs, changing financing conditions and tighter liquidity have made it more important for developments to demonstrate commercial viability from the outset.

As a result, projects capable of generating immediate rental income or supporting business activity are increasingly commanding investor attention, while speculative land purchases without clear development prospects are becoming less attractive.

Property experts believe the market is entering a more mature phase in which returns will increasingly be driven by professional asset management, quality development and operational performance rather than passive appreciation alone.

For investors, the message is becoming increasingly clear: the era when virtually any piece of land represented a guaranteed investment is giving way to a more sophisticated property market where location, infrastructure, income generation and long-term economic fundamentals are determining the winners.

As Zimbabwe’s real estate sector continues to evolve, successful investors are likely to be those who treat property as a productive asset capable of generating sustainable returns, rather than simply as a store of value.

The post Zimbabwe’s Property Market Enters New Era as Investors Shift Focus Beyond Land Speculation appeared first on The Zimbabwe Mail.

JOHANNESBURG — Thousands of demonstrators gathered in parts of South Africa to rally against illegal immigration on Tuesday, which some protest groups set as a deadline for the departure of all illegal migrants from the country.

South African groups planning to demonstrate blame illegal immigrants for causing unemployment among South Africans by accepting low wages, as well as high levels of crime and other problems.

The Tuesday deadline set by the groups for migrants to leave was not recognized by South Africa’s government, which has maintained that only authorities can enforce immigration laws.

The most prominent groups opposing illegal immigration include March and March, Operation Dudula and Progressive Forces. President Cyril Ramaphosa met Monday night with leaders of some of the groups and asked them to conduct peaceful demonstrations.

The South African police deployed hundreds of officers in cities including Johannesburg in Gauteng province and Durban in KwaZulu-Natal province to prepare for potential violence.

Previous marches against illegal immigration have resulted in attacks on migrants and vandalism of foreign-owned businesses. In Johannesburg, some shops owned by foreign nationals were closed before the arrival of protesters on Tuesday.

Demonstrators express frustration

Protesters marching through Johannesburg’s city center Tuesday included young men carrying traditional fighting sticks and women of all ages. Some wore the South African flag and sang liberation songs.

They carried posters with slogans including “SA withdraw from the UN refugee convention,” “The future of our kids” and “80% of children born in Limpopo province are born to foreign nationals.”

“Today is the last day,” protester Nkele Thebe said at the start of the Johannesburg demonstration. “After today, we’ll be dealing with our president and our nation. We don’t want an outsider to come interfere.”

Another protester, Bongani Cindi, said groups opposing illegal immigration were being unfairly labeled as xenophobic for raising legitimate issues.

“Our country has got a lot of problems. We have influx of illegal immigrants who are committing crimes that we can’t even take anymore. So we need them to leave us in peace, so we can sort our house. We are not fighting anyone,” he said.

Demonstrators also gathered Tuesday in parts of Durban with reports of more protesters in parts of the North West and Free State provinces.

Protests fuel an exodus of migrants

Officers and private security firms also have been deployed in the Eastern Cape province where previous demonstrations against illegal immigration have turned violent, with some public infrastructure destroyed and shops owned by foreign nationals forced to close.

The planned protests have sparked fear of violence among thousands of migrants, primarily from neighboring Zimbabwe and Malawi, who have gathered at their embassies and consulates to request transport back to their countries.

There has been increased traffic over the past few days at the Beitbridge checkpoint along the Zimbabwe border as buses carrying migrants left South Africa. Thousands of Malawian nationals also have returned to their country from a temporary repatriation center in Durban.

Three groups of Nigerian migrants returned to their country this month in response to the rising anti-immigrant tensions in South Africa, including a group of 271 people who arrived in Lagos on Tuesday.

Source: AP

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