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06
2025

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17
06
2025

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TikTok Unveils AI-Powered Tools to Revolutionize Ad Creation And Marketing Strategies

By
Ojukwu Emmanuel
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0
The brand is growing

TikTok, a short-form video platform is taking a bold leap into the future of advertising with the rollout of its latest AI-powered creative tools under the TikTok Symphony suite.

These innovations are designed to simplify and accelerate content creation for marketers, enabling them to transform text prompts or still images into fully generated, TikTok-ready video ads in seconds.

The new features Image to Video, Text to Video, and Showcase Products, offer marketers the ability to produce engaging five-second video clips tailored specifically for TikTok’s dynamic audience. According to TikTok, these tools are about more than just automation, they’re about helping brands unlock new creative possibilities while staying authentic and engaging.

Announcing the feature, TikTok wrote,

“Today, we’re unveiling the next evolution of TikTok Symphony, our suite of generative AI tools designed to streamline creative production and spark bold new ideas. We’re introducing new state-of-the-art generative AI tools – Image to Video, Text to Video, and Showcase Products – to make it easier than ever for marketers to unlock new creative potential and to create and optimize TikTok-first content.

“We’re also expanding the reach of Symphony through new integrations with Adobe Express and WPP Open, giving marketers and creators powerful, TikTok-first tools right where they work. Together, these innovations simplify content creation, amplify storytelling, and scale what’s creatively possible on TikTok.”

A Closer Look at the Tools

1. Image to Video:

Marketers can upload a product photo, mood board, or brand asset, and with a short text prompt, instantly generate scroll-stopping TikTok-style videos. These can be stitched together to form complete ad campaigns, breathing life into static content and enabling rapid iteration.

2. Text to Video:

With only a brief text description, advertisers can generate compelling video concepts without needing any visuals. This tool allows rapid idea testing, multiple campaign variations, and scalable customization, making it ideal for brands looking to experiment or tailor content for diverse audiences.

3. Showcase Products:

TikTok introduces Symphony Digital Avatars to bring static product images to life. Brands can upload a product image, select an avatar, and produce five-second TikTok-first clips where avatars model or demonstrate the product—be it a fashion item, gadget, or app.

In a statement, Andy Yang, who leads Creative Product at TikTok, stated that the company want to help creators share their creativity with a worldwide audience using generative AI.

He said,

“We’re entering a new era of creativity, one where ideas move at the speed of culture, and where AI doesn’t replace imagination but rather accelerates it. With TikTok Symphony, we’re empowering a global community of marketers, brands, and creators to tell stories that resonate, scale, and drive impact on TikTok. By blending cutting-edge technology with human creativity, we’re building a new creative standard, one that’s more accessible, more agile, and more inspiring than ever before.”

To broaden accessibility, TikTok is also integrating Symphony tools with Adobe Express and WPP Open, ensuring marketers can work with TikTok-first tools within their existing workflows. This strategic integration helps simplify content creation, amplify brand storytelling, and scale creative output like never before.

As AI continues to blur the line between machine-generated and human-made content, brands will need to strike a balance leveraging automation to streamline operations while preserving the emotional resonance and originality that drive genuine community engagement.

Already, AI tools like real-time voice assistants and personalized PDF generators are helping businesses transform customer support and marketing. With TikTok’s latest advancements, the future of digital advertising is here, and it’s fast, creative, and increasingly AI-driven.

LemFi Acquires Pillar to Launch Credit Products For Immigrants And Tackle Financial Exclusion

By
Ojukwu Emmanuel
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0

LemFi, a platform that offers international remittance, credit products, and bank accounts for people who migrate from their home countries abroad, has acquired UK Fintech Pillar to expand credit access for immigrants.

This strategic move is aimed at reshaping financial services for immigrant communities. The acquisition marks a pivotal shift, positioning LemFi to launch a specialized credit card tailored to the needs of immigrants, addressing one of their most significant barriers to financial inclusion in the UK.

LemFi will now inherit Pillar’s infrastructure, becoming the first major remittance platform to integrate credit offerings into its core services. The deal, approved by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), also brings Pillar’s co-founders and Revolut alumni, Ashutosh Bhatt and Adam Lewis, into the LemFi team.

This acquisition comes as immigrants in the UK face significant barriers to accessing financial services, which hinders their economic integration. Many immigrants, especially refugees and those from countries with weak financial systems, lack a UK credit history or sufficient identification, making it difficult to open bank accounts or access credit.

Without bank accounts, securing housing or employment becomes harder, as these often require financial records. A 2024 X post highlighted the difficulty of obtaining mortgages or rentals without UK work or credit history, reflecting broader systemic issues.

Despite these hurdles, immigrants contribute significantly to the UK economy, with higher net migration linked to reduced government borrowing over time, though public service spending adjustments are needed.

By acquiring Pillar, LemFi is taking a bold step toward eliminating these inequities, offering not just remittance services but also credit products that recognize and accommodate the lived realities of immigrant populations.

Founded in 2021 by Ridwan Olalere and Rian Cochran, LemFi has grown rapidly by enabling diaspora communities in North America and Europe to send money to emerging markets across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Its first credit offering gained more than 8000 users just six weeks into its private beta, growing 18% week-on-week. Customers receive a virtual card, instantly usable via Apple Pay or Google Pay. Physical Visa cards will launch later this year when the service is rolled out to the public.

Initially launched as Lemonade Finance, it rebranded to LemFi in 2023. The company addresses key barriers immigrants face in accessing financial services in the UK and globally, such as a lack of credit history, documentation challenges, and high remittance costs. Serving over 2 million users across the US, UK, Canada, and Europe, the Fintech handles $1B in monthly transactions, with 60% monthly active users. Its focus on Asian markets, particularly India (the largest remittance recipient at $125B in 2023), drives 30% month-on-month growth.

The fintech firm now boasts more than 1 million active users who rely on its multi-currency accounts to send funds to countries including Nigeria, Kenya, India, China, Pakistan, and others. In January this year, the company raised $53 million in funding to drive customer acquisition and expand its presence in additional markets.

LemFi competes with remittance fintechs like Wise, Remitly, Zepz, and Sendwave but differentiates through its immigrant-focused, full-stack approach, combining remittances, credit, and multi-currency accounts. Its understanding of local preferences and partnerships (e.g., ClearBank, Nigerian banks) gives it an edge in emerging markets.

LemFi’s vision is to become the primary financial services hub for immigrants globally, leveraging its recent funding and Pillar acquisition to scale credit and payment solutions.

Larry Ellison Leaps to World’s Second Richest At $258bn as Oracle Shares Soar on AI-Fueled Rally

By
Samuel Nwite
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0

Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison has added a staggering $40 billion to his net worth in just two trading days, overtaking Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg to become the world’s second richest man, according to Forbes’ real-time billionaires ranking.

His wealth now stands at $258 billion, second only to Elon Musk, whose net worth sits at $414 billion.

The extraordinary jump in Ellison’s fortune follows a historic rally in Oracle’s stock, driven by the company’s better-than-expected quarterly earnings and mounting investor optimism over its role in powering artificial intelligence workloads. Oracle shares surged 13% on Thursday and climbed an additional 7% by mid-Friday, closing in on $215 per share—an all-time high.

The rally added a massive $104 billion to Oracle’s market capitalization in two days, a valuation increase larger than the entire worth of tech giants like Intel or retail brands like Nike. For Ellison, who owns 41% of Oracle, the market surge translated to a $25 billion gain on Thursday and another $16 billion on Friday—easily the largest daily wealth increase recorded by any billionaire this year.

According to Forbes, “Ellison’s net worth accordingly rocketed by more than $40 billion to $258 billion from Wednesday to Friday… vaulting Ellison past Amazon chairman Jeff Bezos ($228 billion) and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg ($238 billion).”

Oracle’s AI Pivot Sparks Investor Frenzy

Oracle’s quarterly earnings report released on Wednesday, exceeded Wall Street’s expectations. The company reported adjusted earnings per share of $1.70 and total revenue of $15.9 billion, largely fueled by soaring demand for Oracle’s cloud infrastructure services—a critical component in the AI supply chain.

Analysts say this marks a pivotal turning point for Oracle, signaling a fundamental shift in the market’s perception of Oracle’s future trajectory. Many believe that Oracle’s fiscal year 2026, which began this month, could usher in a new phase of accelerated growth, anchored by expanding adoption of artificial intelligence technologies across industries.

Oracle has quietly but firmly entrenched itself as a cornerstone of AI infrastructure. Its cloud platforms not only power enterprise applications but also handle sensitive government data. It serves as the U.S. hosting provider for TikTok user data and has been ramping up its AI offerings through recent strategic partnerships.

Ellison’s Expanding Influence in Tech and AI

At 80, Ellison remains an active force in both technology and political spheres. Beyond his executive role at Oracle, he recently helped launch “Stargate,” a major AI infrastructure venture backed by Oracle, OpenAI, and SoftBank. The project, unveiled with the backing of U.S. President Donald Trump, aims to build out next-generation AI capabilities at scale.

He also previously served on Tesla’s board and has been a financial contributor to Republican political campaigns, further embedding himself in high-level business and policymaking networks.

A Broader Tech Trend

Ellison’s meteoric wealth gain is the latest example of how AI infrastructure is reshaping wealth dynamics among tech billionaires. As the industry races to build the foundations of an AI-driven global economy—data centers, chips, cloud platforms, and specialized software—investors are pouring capital into companies positioned to support and scale these capabilities.

With the AI sector projected to surpass $1.8 trillion in market value by 2030, according to Grand View Research, infrastructure providers like Oracle are emerging as some of the biggest financial winners.

The Oracle stock rally not only marks a personal triumph for Ellison but also signals investor confidence in the company’s long-term role in the AI economy.

Jumia Reshapes Business Strategy to Defend Its Market Share, Amid Growing Competition From Chinese E-commerce Giants

By
Ojukwu Emmanuel
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0

Jumia, Africa’s leading e-commerce platform, is revamping its business strategy to strengthen market share, enhance profitability, and regain investor confidence.

This strategic move by the e-commerce giant comes amid growing competition from Chinese e-commerce giants Temu and Shein.

As Temu and Shein gain ground in Africa with ultra-low prices and efficient logistics, Jumia is forging partnerships with Chinese merchants to broaden its product range and localize offerings. Jumia’s CEO Francis Dufay emphasized the company’s competitive edge, stating, “We have more diverse product offerings in categories they can’t offer, we’re more tailored to the market, and we have competitive products from international sellers.”

Temu and Shein have rapidly expanded in Africa, particularly in South Africa, by leveraging ultra-low prices and efficient logistics, significantly disrupting local retail markets. Their success stems from offering a vast variety of products at prices that local competitors struggle to match, driven by sophisticated pricing strategies, economies of scale, and streamlined supply chains.

Temu launched in Nigeria in November 2024, gaining traction through aggressive advertising, deep discounts, and promises of delivery within two weeks. Shein, while more targeted, is using influencer-driven marketing to expand in major urban centers across South Africa, Kenya, and Ghana. Neither retailer has established full physical operations on the continent.

Both e-commerce giants’ entry into Africa is disrupting established local e-commerce businesses like Jumia. This has also seen local retailers face challenges in competing with the low prices and aggressive marketing strategies of these platforms. 

However, while Temu and Shein can win the price war, their cross-border model comes with trade-offs, longer shipping times, complicated returns, and limited after-sales support. Some analysts argue that trust remains Jumia’s critical advantage and the company could still dominate the market by being consistent, if not the cheapest.

Recall that earlier this year, Jumia announced its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2025. The company reported a revenue of $36.3 million, down 26% year-over-year or 18% year-over-year on a constant currency basis.

Despite these losses, Jumia posted a significant improvement in its loss before income tax, narrowing it to $16.5 million, compared to $39.6 million in Q1 2024. This was mainly due to a $33.5 million improvement in net finance costs, as foreign exchange losses experienced in 2024 did not recur in the same magnitude.

CEO Dufay acknowledged Jumia’s challenges since its 2019 NYSE IPO, with its market capitalization dropping from over $1 billion to about $400 million and its stock declining nearly 90%.

“My focus is simple, deliver the numbers. The target is break-even by 2027,” he said, distancing his tenure from past overpromising.”

Since taking the helm in late 2022, Dufay has reduced losses from $206 million to a projected $50–$55 million in 2025 by cutting jobs, exiting unprofitable markets, and focusing on nine core countries. Following the recent exit of major investor Baillie Gifford, Dufay is engaging new investors through roadshows, prioritizing results over rhetoric.

With improving order growth, customer retention, and fulfillment efficiencies, Jumia appears to be on a clearer path toward long-term profitability and sustainable growth. Nigeria remains central to Jumia’s growth, with the CEO highlighting its vast potential.

The company aims to expand beyond urban centers to reach low-income customers, while also eyeing growth in Kenya, Uganda, and Egypt. Notably, Jumia is focused on achieving profitable growth in 2025 by increasing usage, improving operational efficiency, and significantly reducing cash burn.

How artificial intelligence is transforming online gaming

By
TI Partners
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0

Artificial intelligence (AI) is quietly but profoundly reshaping the online gaming industry. No longer limited to backend algorithms or support tools, AI is now central to how games are built, how they play, and how players experience them. From smarter in-game opponents to personalized challenges and procedurally generated content, the digital playground is evolving faster than ever.

Smarter NPCs and real-time reactions

AI has revolutionized the behavior of non-player characters (NPCs). Rather than sticking to predictable patterns, NPCs now react intelligently to the actions and strategies of players. This means that enemies, allies, or even neutral characters can now change tactics mid-game, creating more dynamic and engaging gameplay.

This smart behavior leads to greater immersion. Players feel as if they’re interacting with living, responsive entities rather than scripted code. It’s especially noticeable in open-world and multiplayer games, but even smaller-scale titles are starting to adopt adaptive NPC logic.

Adaptive difficulty and personalized experiences

Beyond NPCs, AI plays a crucial role in adjusting difficulty based on each player’s individual performance. Instead of selecting a fixed difficulty setting at the start, modern games can adapt in real-time—offering extra help when players struggle or increasing the challenge when they’re breezing through.

This keeps gameplay exciting without being discouraging. Many popular titles use this system to keep players coming back. Even casual games, which often rely on short, intense gameplay loops, use AI to fine-tune pacing and risk.

Take Mission Uncrossable, for example—a deceptively simple game where players guide a chicken across hazardous paths. Beneath its playful surface, the game quietly adjusts tension and tempo based on how cautious or aggressive the player is. That subtle AI touch makes every run feel slightly different, keeping the challenge fresh without overwhelming the user.

AI in game design and content generation

Developers are also harnessing AI to create game environments, levels, and narratives. With procedural generation, AI can design endless variations of maps or puzzles, cutting down development time and enhancing replayability. This is particularly useful in sandbox games or titles that rely on player-driven exploration.

Beyond visuals, AI can suggest story developments, dialogue choices, or branching narratives based on player interaction history. This adds a layer of unpredictability that makes story-driven games more immersive and less linear.

Enhancing user experience beyond gameplay

AI isn’t just improving the game itself—it’s improving the overall gaming experience. In online casinos or social games, AI can analyze player behavior to identify patterns, offer game recommendations, or even detect unhealthy habits. It can also power chatbots for customer support, manage game moderation, and suggest real-time improvements to the user interface based on user actions.

These enhancements are increasingly common across all platforms. Whether you’re playing on mobile, desktop, or a browser, AI works behind the scenes to keep everything smooth, responsive, and tailored to your style.

A new era for interactive entertainment

As AI continues to evolve, so will the nature of online games. From hyper-personalized gameplay to AI-powered storytelling and real-time adaptation, the future of gaming looks increasingly intelligent. Titles like Mission Uncrossable showcase how even short-form games can benefit from these technologies, proving that innovation isn’t limited to big-budget releases.

Online gaming is no longer static. With AI in the driver’s seat, every session is smarter, every challenge more relevant, and every experience more personal. This is only the beginning.

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