Business
South Korea unveils AI Humans
South Korea Pulse9 has created digital humans for some of South Korea’s largest conglomerates, including Shinsegae, with research indicating the global market for such life-like creations could reach $527 billion by 2030.
In South Korea, AI humans have enrolled as students at universities, interned at major companies, and appear regularly on live television driving sellouts of products from food to luxury handbags.
Her face is a deep fake. Her body belongs to a team of similar-sized actors. But she sings, reads the news, and sells luxury clothes on TV as AI humans go mainstream in South Korea.
Meet Zaein, one of South Korea’s most active virtual humans, who was created by Pulse9, an artificial intelligence company that is working to bring corporate dreams of the perfect employee to life.
But Pulse9 says this is only the beginning. They are “working on developing the technology to broaden AI human use”, Park Ji-eun, the company’s CEO, told AFP.
“Virtual humans are basically capable of carrying out much of what real people do,” she said, adding that the current level of AI technology means humans are still needed – for now.
The demand for AI humans in South Korea was initially driven by the K-pop industry, with the idea of a virtual idol – not prone to scandals and able to work 24/7 – proving popular with the country’s notoriously hard-driving music agencies.
But now, Pulse9 is “expanding their roles in society to show that these virtual humans aren’t just fantasy idols but can coexist with humans as colleagues and friends”, Park said.
– K-pop face –
Zaein’s face was created by a deep learning analysis – an AI method that teaches computers to process complex data – of the faces of K-pop stars over the last two decades.
Doe-eyed with delicate features, fair skin and a willowy figure, she is brought to life by overlaying the deepfake on a human actor.
More than 10 human actors, each with different talents — from singing, dancing, acting, to reporting — help animate Zaein, which is what makes this particular AI creation so “special”, Park said.
On a Monday morning, AFP met with one of the actors as she was preparing to deliver a report as Zaein on a live morning news programme on South Korean broadcaster SBS.
“I think it can be a good practice for people who want to become celebrities and that’s what appealed to me,” said the actor, who could not be named due to company policy.
A representative for Pulse9 said the identities of all human actors are concealed and their real faces are not shown.
Despite the strict measures to keep their profiles hidden, the actor said playing as a virtual human opened new doors.
“Typically, a lot of people in their teens and young people become K-pop idols and I’m way past that age, but it’s nice to be able to take on that challenge,” the actor, who is in her 30s, told AFP.
“I’d love to try acting as a man if I can manage my voice well, and maybe a foreigner — something that I can’t become in real life.”
– ‘Real and fake’ –
Creating artificial humans will continue to require real people “until a really strong AI is created in the future which will be able to process everything by itself”, Park said.
The potential — and potential perils — of AI have exploded into the public consciousness in recent months since ChatGPT burst onto the scene at the end of last year.
Experts around the world, including AI pioneers, have spoken out about its dangers, and several countries are seeking regulation of the powerful but high-risk invention.
But Park is not concerned. Her company is working on new virtual idols, virtual influencers, and virtual sales agents to take over customer-facing tasks for South Korean conglomerates, which are increasingly struggling with recruitment in the low-birthrate country.
South Korea — and the world — needs better, clearer regulations on what AI can do, she said, adding that when done properly, the technology can add to “the richness of life”.
The trouble, however, is that a deepfake can “make it impossible to tell what is real and fake”, Kim Myuhng-joo, a professor of information security at Seoul Women’s University, told AFP.
“It’s an egregious tool when used to harm others or put people in trouble. That’s why it’s becoming a problem,” he added.
AFP
Urges Deeper Local Investments
President Bola Tinubu has commended corporate Nigeria, investors, and stakeholders in the capital market for propelling the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) beyond the historic ₦100 trillion market capitalisation threshold.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President described the achievement as a “new economic reality and rejuvenation,” signalling strong investor confidence in Nigeria’s reforming economy.
“With the Nigerian Exchange crossing the historic N100 trillion mark, the country is witnessing the birth of a new economic reality,” President Tinubu said. He highlighted the NGX All-Share Index’s impressive 51.19% return in 2025 — outperforming the previous year’s 37.65% and ranking among the world’s top performers — even as many global markets faced stagnation.
The President noted year-to-date gains surpassing benchmarks like the S&P 500 and FTSE 100, positioning Nigeria as an attractive investment destination rather than a overlooked frontier market.
He praised resilient performances across sectors, from industrial giants localising supply chains to innovative banks, and anticipated further growth with upcoming listings in energy, tech, telecoms, and infrastructure.
President Tinubu linked the stock market’s success to broader reforms yielding macroeconomic stability. Inflation has declined for eight consecutive months, dropping from a peak of 34.8% in December 2024 to 14.45% in November 2025, with forecasts suggesting 12% in 2026 and potentially single digits by year-end.
Nigeria recorded a $16 billion current account surplus in 2024, projected to rise to $18.81 billion in 2026, driven by surging non-oil exports (up 48% to ₦9.2 trillion in Q3 2025) and manufacturing growth. Foreign reserves have exceeded $45 billion, with the naira stabilising and projections to surpass $50 billion in early 2026.
Infrastructure advances, including rail expansions, major highways like Lagos-Calabar and Sokoto-Badagry, and port revitalisation, were also highlighted, alongside improvements in healthcare, education loans via NELFUND, and research funding.
Urging Nigerians to invest more domestically, President Tinubu assured that “2026 will yield even greater returns” as reforms mature. He pledged continued efforts toward a transparent, egalitarian, high-growth economy, bolstered by tax and fiscal changes effective January 1, 2026.
“Nation-building is a process requiring hard work and focus. This ₦100 trillion milestone signals to the world that Nigeria’s economy is robust and productive,” he concluded.
Business
MTN’s 5G subscribers reach 15m
“We are proud to be the first telco to achieve over 82 percent coverage in 4G, and the first to roll out 5H in Nigeria, already reaching an estimated 15 million of the population and counting,”
MTN Nigeria says that its 5G network, has reached an estimated 15 million subscribers across the country.
In a statement, the company linked the growth to its aggressive leadership in 4G/5G deployment and the accelerated rollout of its Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) network.
” We are proud to be the first telco to achieve over 82 percent coverage in 4G, and the first to roll out 5H in Nigeria, already reaching an estimated 15 million of the population and counting,” the statement reads.
It added that the drive for connectivity is backed by significant capital spending, stressing that Capex, excluding leases, soared by 248.0% to N757.4 billion.
The firm said that this investment was strategically directed at capacity enhancement to reduce congestion and to deliver ultra-fast broadband to households through FTTH.“Demand for data remains robust, driving a 36.3% YoY increase in data traffic, with average usage per subscriber rising by 20.8% to 13.2GB.
Business
China-Nigeria bilateral trade hits $22.3bn in 2025
“From January to October 2025, bilateral trade exceeded $22.3 billion; this represented a 30.2 percent year-on-year increase,” Yuqing said.
• Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Lagos, YAN Yuqing
Chinese Consul-General in Lagos, Ms Yan Yuqing, had said China-Nigeria bilateral trade exceeded $22.3 billion between January and October 2025.
Yuqing disclosed this at the Lagos Forum New Year Media Symposium, where she reviewed bilateral relations and outlined prospects for deeper cooperation in 2026
.“Over the past year, China-Nigeria economic and trade cooperation has shown great vitality and strong momentum.
Over the past year, China-Nigeria economic and trade cooperation has shown great vitality and strong momentum.
“From January to October 2025, bilateral trade exceeded $22.3 billion; this represented a 30.2 percent year-on-year increase,” Yuqing said.
She said Nigeria had remained one of China’s major investment destinations in Africa for many consecutive years.
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