Twenty years after the launch of myt, Mauritius Telecom is entering a decisive new phase. Having strengthened nationwide connectivity through fibre, 5G and Wi-Fi 7, the operator is now positioning itself as a key partner in the Government’s digital transformation agenda. From myt learn and the Mauritian Creole-speaking Kevin AI to the AWS partnership, sovereign data centres and new submarine cable projects, the ambition is clear: democratise artificial intelligence, train 50,000 Mauritians, boost productivity, create high-skilled jobs and establish Mauritius as a digital hub between Africa and Asia. In this interview, the CEO of MT, Veemal Gungadin, sets out how it intends to turn that national vision into tangible results.
Q: As myt celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, Mauritius Telecom (MT), as the country’s established telecom operator, is positioning itself as a key player in artificial intelligence and digital technology. How do you envision the years ahead, and what role do you see MT playing in Mauritius’ economic development?
A: Traditionally, Mauritius Telecom (MT) has focused heavily on connectivity, and that is a goal we have achieved well; every household in Mauritius has internet access via fiber and 5G. Work has been done across Mauritius to improve connectivity, especially regarding speed and investment. But the next step forward, a process that actually began years ago, is moving from basic connectivity to cloud services, cybersecurity, and now artificial intelligence. The primary focus today is making AI accessible to the entire population.
Q: During the recent all myt Summit, a range of new products and services were showcased. If you had to select three innovations with the greatest impact on Mauritians and businesses, which ones would you choose?
A: The first would be myt learn. It is a platform developed in Mauritius for secondary school students and teachers, with plans to extend it to lower levels as well. It enables students to learn more effectively while saving teachers time by allowing them to deliver highly personalised instruction, ultimately raising the overall standard of education in Mauritius.
The second is an initiative that perhaps hasn’t received enough attention: expanding capacity and enhancing internet connectivity across Mauritius. Until recently, around 60% of households were still using 8- to 10-year-old technology, namely Wi-Fi 4. We launched Wi-Fi 7 a month or two ago, and thousands of customers have already upgraded, ensuring faster and more reliable connectivity.
The third is to support the growing work-from-home (WFH) trend. Many companies are adopting WFH as reducing commute times benefits the environment while contributing to a better work-life balance. In addition, many foreign professionals live in Mauritius while working remotely for Mauritian companies or on overseas projects. This growing trend requires reliable, high-speed connectivity.
Q: Among these innovations, solutions like mytGPT and Kevin AI have generated significant interest. How do these products differ from what currently exists on the market, and how can we take full advantage of them?
A: Most existing AI products on the market are American, Chinese, or European. A country like Mauritius has its own culture and languages, including Mauritian Creole. What we have done is adapt AI to the local context. For instance, myt learn is not an American platform; it is based on the official secondary school curriculum in Mauritius, developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Education to digitise learning content locally.
Q: Before continuing, there is a common concern: will AI replace teachers in the classroom?
A: That is a concern raised by many teachers. We are actively showing how educators can use these tools as teaching assistants. For example, one tool helps teachers generate customised term exam papers. Teachers can request 10 easy questions, 5 difficult questions, multiple-choice, or long-form questions, complete with automated grading error checks.
Another tool enables teachers to mark exam papers and homework assignments using a predefined marking scheme.
The accuracy results are impressive; 99% accuracy across all the tools introduced. Regarding models like Kevin AI, existing voice models support English, French, Spanish, or Chinese. Kevin is the first model specifically designed to speak and understand Mauritian Creole (unlike existing models that primarily support Haitian Creole).
Q: Can it take, for example, an interview spoken in Mauritian Creole and translate it directly into French?
A: Exactly. It translates interviews directly from Mauritian Creole because Kevin understands the language structure.
Q: Many people talk about AI today, but few understand the exact role MT plays in democratising technology and making it a driver of productivity for families, SMEs, and large enterprises.
A: That is precisely MT’s role. AI will impact everyone from primary students to retirees. We offer a suite of solutions and partnerships tailored to different groups. For example, for SMEs, we partnered with startups to integrate Kevin AI into automated bookings for restaurants or medical clinics outside regular business hours.
Beyond enterprise tools, we want to integrate AI into daily life. This inspired our recent corporate rebranding, including a new logo and slogan, highlighting how Mauritius Telecom and myt empower Mauritians across daily life, business, and government operations.
Q: You also introduced the concept of digital sovereignty. Why is it important for Mauritius to develop its own AI capabilities rather than relying entirely on foreign platforms?
A: Relying entirely on external AI systems, primarily based in the US or China, creates risk. Geopolitical tensions could lead to sudden restrictions or cutoffs to critical AI models, leaving local governments and businesses vulnerable. Developing our own local infrastructure, software, and models guarantees sovereignty, continuity, and control.
Q: The latest national budget emphasized digital transformation, innovation, and AI. How will MT support the government’s vision?
A: We are fully aligned with the government’s vision and are focusing our efforts on three key areas:
- Connectivity: We are negotiating subsea cable projects to connect Mauritius directly to Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the Americas.
- Skills & Training: In support of the Prime Minister’s objective to train 50,000 Mauritians in AI, we have partnered with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to deliver this national training initiative.
- Infrastructure: We are investing in local Data Centres equipped with GPU infrastructure to host sovereign AI applications locally.
Q: How does the strategic partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS) represent a major shift in scale for MT?
A: AWS powers major global platforms like Netflix and TikTok and is the global leader in Cloud and AI infrastructure. AWS has committed to training 1 million people in Africa and investing $100 million in global education initiatives by 2029.
In Mauritius, this partnership goes beyond basic training. AWS solution architects will work directly with Mauritian SMEs and large enterprises at no cost to plan and execute their digital transformation strategies.
Q: Beyond training and infrastructure, what opportunities does this create for Mauritius?
A: Our core objective is creating new high-skilled jobs for young professionals. While these skills will serve local demand, the main ambition is targeting the broader African market, particularly the SADC region. AWS chose Mauritius because of its high educational standards, existing skill base, and established position as an international financial hub. This enables Mauritius to act as a primary digital hub between Africa and Asia.
Q: What are the main assets and obstacles to achieving this digital hub ambition?
A:
- Key Assets: International connectivity, a bilingual workforce (English and French) which provides a distinct advantage when expanding into Francophone Africa compared to Indian competitors and a strong legal and governance framework.
- Obstacles: Competition from larger markets like South Africa. However, our small size allows us to be more agile and move quickly, which is why AWS chose to collaborate with us.
Q: With AI expansion, concerns around cybersecurity and data protection are growing. How does MT guarantee trust for businesses and institutions?
A: Cybersecurity is a critical priority globally. MT spends over 100 million rupees annually on cybersecurity systems, working with top global security partners. Cyberattacks occur constantly, but our automated systems block them in real time. We are now extending these cybersecurity capabilities directly to our clients offering parental control tools for families and enterprise-grade firewalls and threat protection for businesses.
Q: Mr. Gungadin, to conclude, what is Mauritius Telecom’s vision for the next 5 years?
A: Our focus is moving from strategy to execution. Following our “Bridging Africa” strategic vision, our goal is to build out infrastructure, deploy local AI solutions, train the population, and support businesses and the government in delivering tangible digital transformation across Mauritius.
