Marketplaces specialist Prosus says it is embedding generative AI across its portfolio companies, including classifieds sites, in more than 100 countries.
According to the Netherlands-based company, these new services have been developed using OpenAI technology to help it “scale small data teams and access world-class expertise, solutions, models and tools previously only available to the biggest technology companies.”
Prosus holds stakes in multiple companies, including Dubizzle Group (formerly Emerging Markets Property Group), while its classifieds investment portfolio includes horizontal OLX, South Africa-based auto marketplace AutoTrader and real estate marketplaces Property24.com and Otodom.pl.
In January this year, OLX announced 1,500 job cuts globally, while Prosus and its South Africa-based parent company Naspers unveiled a plan to lay off 30% of their corporate workforce.
“The investments made into AI ensure Prosus provides intelligence and access to tens of thousands of employees across the Prosus technology portfolio, enabling growth, further disruption and improved productivity.”
“Early access to a range of generative AI models has led to better optimization of generic business problems — from writing content for our consumer applications to supporting developers’ workflow to summarization for meeting automation — as well as a wide range of improved customer services and product launches …”, Prosus said in a news release.
“Our unique portfolio of more than 80 consumer internet businesses across multiple sectors and geographies excites us to build on technologies from research labs like OpenAI. Five years ago, we launched a forward-leaning strategy to put AI at the heart of our group strategy. We now have hundreds of examples that drive real business impact,” said Euro Beinat, global head of AI and Data Science at Prosus and Naspers.