​​​​In a world where technology drives customer experience, a silent crisis remains largely unnoticed. Millions of consumers are left unheard because the tools designed to understand them aren’t built for their language or cultural context. Despite a booming global market where forecasts project that the AI-powered customer engagement space will grow from approximately USD 10.5 billion in 2023 to around USD 76.7 billion by 2033, studies reveal that about 68% of consumers prefer to interact with brands in their native language. Yet, only a fraction of modern language models capture the rich linguistic diversity found across Africa. This isn’t merely a market inefficiency but a profound societal gap where millions remain unheard.

A Journey Rooted in Personal Experience

For the founders of ToumAI, the challenge of language barriers is not an abstract market problem; it’s deeply personal. Youcef Rahmani vividly recalls his Algerian father’s struggles with customer service representatives who simply couldn’t understand him. In parallel, co-founder Imade Benelallam encountered significant limitations while working with under-resourced, oral-first languages. Together with Odin Demassieux, whose expertise bridges large-scale customer experience with localised market dynamics. The team transformed personal challenges into a bold vision when they set out to build an AI-powered platform that does more than translate words; it captures cultural nuances and emotional cues, ensuring that every customer interaction is both understood and valued.

Localised AI | The Heart of the Solution

ToumAI isn’t just another translation tool; it’s a purpose-built, AI-driven platform explicitly designed for Africa’s diverse linguistic landscape. By leveraging advanced Natural Language Processing (NLP) and custom large language models (LLMs), the platform interprets the subtleties of languages such as Moroccan Darija, Wolof, and Swahili. With a reported accuracy exceeding 85% and the capability to onboard new languages in as little as four weeks, ToumAI transforms raw customer interactions into actionable, culturally informed insights.

Recent research highlights that major LLMs currently include only about 20 African languages, even though UNESCO estimates that Africa is home to roughly 2,000 languages, with Nigeria alone boasting over 500 languages. Furthermore, studies indicate that over 90% of African languages lack digitised text corpora, emphasising an urgent need for platforms like ToumAI to fill the digital void.

Unlocking a Market Demand for AI-Powered Customer Insights

High-volume industries like banking, telecom, and retail in Africa handle millions of customer interactions daily. However, most companies lack the tools to extract meaningful insights, mainly when these interactions occur in languages that conventional AI models don’t support.

Africa alone has around 527 million mobile subscribers, with internet penetration at approximately 27%. This indicates a massive scale of customer interactions and a significant untapped digital potential. As enterprises increasingly embrace digital transformation, the ability to engage customers in their native language is no longer a luxury but a necessity for building trust and ensuring loyalty. Globally, the demand for localised AI solutions is apparent, as the AI-powered customer engagement market is set to expand dramatically. Enterprises seek tools that offer multilingual, multichannel, and emotion-aware analytics to harness the value hidden within every conversation.

A Proven Solution with Strong Traction

While many AI startups still prove their concepts, ToumAI has already demonstrated a significant impact. The company has generated strong early interest through strategic proof-of-concept projects and initial partnerships with key players in telecommunications and banking. Although specific internal revenue or Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) figures are based on founders’ projections and have not been independently published, the robust pipeline of enterprise customers signals a clear path to scaling.

This early traction validates the technology’s effectiveness and the deep market need for AI tools that truly resonate with Africa’s diverse consumer base.

A Clear Vision for the Future

ToumAI’s roadmap is both ambitious and pragmatic:

• Geographic Expansion: Building on initial successes in markets such as Morocco, Senegal, and Malta, the next phase involves extending the platform’s reach deeper into North and West Africa by forging strategic partnerships with leading enterprises.
• Enhanced Product Capabilities: Future developments include integrating real-time sentiment analysis, advanced voice-to-text functionality, and deeper contextual insights to ensure the platform remains at the forefront of AI-driven customer analytics.
• Market Leadership: By addressing a long-overlooked gap in customer experience through culturally attuned AI, ToumAI is poised to become the definitive solution for businesses seeking to engage meaningfully with customers in Africa’s diverse linguistic and cultural milieu.

A Future Where Every Voice Is Truly Heard

ToumAI stands as a testament to the power of innovation grounded in local realities. By bridging linguistic and cultural divides, the platform transforms customer engagement from a transactional exchange into a meaningful conversation. We are excited to support ToumAI as they unlock Africa’s authentic voice through cutting-edge AI, bridging communication gaps and empowering businesses to become more inclusive and efficient across the continent.