About AtlantisAI

Skills you need for opportunities that are looking for you ...

AtlantisAI is a South African AI training company. We are a B-BBEE Level 1 contributor (broad-based black economic empowerment). We help serve students, professionals, small business owners and corporate teams build practical artificial intelligence skills they can use in their studies, their work and their businesses. We offer international industry-certified AI training. What we teach is shaped by research and by the realities of working and learning in South Africa, and we try to keep it clear, useful and honest.

Whether you are a student preparing for the world of work, a professional who wants to stay relevant, a small business owner looking for an edge, or a corporate team planning how to use AI responsibly, our aim is the same: to help you understand AI, use it with confidence and make sound decisions about where it fits. We would rather you leave with one skill you use every day than a long list of tools you never open again.

Who I am

I’m Dr Irshaad I. Desai, the founder of AtlantisAI (Pty) Ltd. I am a Cape Town based academic who has graduated roughly 10,000 students in my career as a lecturer and researcher.

I teach project management, research methodology and entrepreneurship. Over the years, I have seen how much people can achieve when they are given the right skills at the right time, and how quickly the world of work is changing around them. Artificial intelligence is part of that change, and I believe South Africans should be ready to use it well, not left behind by it.

Research is where my curiosity lives. I enjoy asking careful questions, testing ideas and sharing what we learn, and I remain active in research and publication. AtlantisAI brings that same mindset to training: start with evidence, be practical, and keep learning. To support these endeavours, I am a PhD graduate of the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), University of Pretoria.

Why I started AtlantisAI

As a lecturer, I kept seeing people who needed practical skills for work that is changing because of AI. I started AtlantisAI to bring international industry-certified AI training to South Africans and to support small and micro entrepreneurs. AtlantisAI also directly and indirectly supports AI-related research with master’s and PhD students. I am also well aware that too many individuals are not able to attend universities or attain any form of tertiary education. AtlantisAI envisages granting people access to skills in real time that can enable them to improve their current economic circumstances.

My PhD: research on care

My PhD at GIBS, University of Pretoria, explored the obligation of care that universities and lecturers have towards students, and what it costs to provide that care, at four South African universities. It found that much of this cost falls on lecturers, and it proposes a framework for supporting students ethically and sustainably.

An ethic of care also shapes how we work at AtlantisAI: we want every learner to feel supported, respected and able to ask questions without hesitation.

Research at AtlantisAI

AtlantisAI is directly and indirectly involved in AI research, and we work alongside master’s and PhD students on research projects. Our interests include all things related to the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), including AI; also research related to Project Management, Entrepreneurship and Care (which is the centre-piece of the Fifth Industrial Revolution). AtlantisAI bridges this cutting-edge research endeavours with relevant practical international industry-certified AI training programmes which industry says are currently in short supply.

Before They Leave: a free guide for students and families

For those who have the privilege of heading off to university, this is a big step for students and for the families who support them. Before They Leave is a free, practical downloadable guide to help young people and their families prepare for that move with confidence. It is calm, sensible and down to earth, focusing on the everyday things that make the transition easier. Its primary audience is students and families in the rural villages, but it has value to offer for all. This work is a direct output from my PhD research and is a fact based research publication solving a real world problem in real time. This is indicative of what we do at AtlantisAI. Visit our homepage for the link to a copy of the free downloadable guide.

To receive the free download, everyone is asked to register first with their name, email address, who they are (for example, a student, a parent or family member, or a teacher) and their province. Your consent to us processing these details in line with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) is required. You can also tick a box to receive updates about the guide, such as translated versions and future editions, and, separately, a box to receive other news and offers from AtlantisAI. Both are optional, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Schools, community organisations and other groups can pre-order printed copies in bulk using our bulk order form. We will send you an invoice with an order reference number.

Entrepreneurship: backing small and micro businesses

Small and micro businesses matter enormously to South Africa, and they are close to my heart. Through AtlantisAI, we combine research, training and practical tips and tricks to help small business owners work smarter, save time and make better business decisions, including knowing where AI can genuinely help and where it cannot.

We are also planning a community for small business owners in the near future: a place to share ideas, ask questions and learn from one another. Its working name is the SAEH Club, linked to the forthcoming South African Entrepreneurship Handbook (SAEH). If this is of interest to you, please pre-register via our contacts page and we will share the details when the time comes.

Our training

AtlantisAI offers industry-certified AI training, with certifications issued by our certification partner. Our courses are designed for students, professionals, small business owners and corporate teams, and focus on skills you can put to work straight away. We keep the language plain, and the pace realistic for people who are already busy with studies, jobs or running a business.

Blended and in-person training options are arriving shortly. In-person sessions are planned, and we will share details as soon as they are confirmed. If you would like to pre-register or express an interest in any in-person training modules please let us know via the contacts link.

We look forward to hearing from corporates and/or teams interested in group training or maximising corporate budgets for online, blended and in-person training. Our solutions include block-purchasing training credits that can be allocated to specific training seats over the period of 12 months.

Get in touch

Whether you are a student, a professional, a business owner or part of a corporate team, we would love to hear from you. Email us at info@atlantisai.co.za and we will get back to you.

Your privacy

We collect only the personal information we need to respond to you, provide downloads, process orders and send the updates you ask for, and we process it in line with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA). Our Information Officer is Dr Irshaad I. Desai, who can be contacted at info@atlantisai.co.za. Read our full privacy policy.

About this page

This is version 1 of our About page. We will update and revise it regularly as our training, research and community projects develop. Updates planned include:

• our mission and values;
• how our training works;
• frequently asked questions;
• links to the founder’s profile and publications;
• details of the SAEH Club;
• translated versions of Before They Leave;
• details of blended and in-person training.

AtlantisAI – the AI training company.
Skills you need for opportunities that are looking for you ...