What’s Next — Professor Anné Verhoef discusses the NWU AI Hub

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, North-West University (NWU) Professor Anné Verhoef discusses the NWU AI Hub, of which he is the director.

The NWU AI Hub was launched at the beginning of 2025, with Verhoef at the helm, to provide groundbreaking solutions to South Africa’s biggest AI problems.

Verhoef is a professor in philosophy and the former director of the NWU School of Philosophy, which forms part of the university’s Humanities faculty.

He has a strong involvement in ethics, which has prepared him to head up the NWU AI Hub.

This includes being the co-founder of the Institute of Contemporary Ethics (ICE) at NWU and the associate editor of the academic journal Transformation in Higher Education.

He is an NRF-rated researcher and the author and co-author of many book chapters and international scientific papers.

Prior to joining NWU, Verhoef studied at the University of Stellenbosch and the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium.

In this interview, Verhoef begins by discussing the reason for the NWU AI Hub and its biggest successes so far.

He highlights the measures NWU is taking to ensure the ethical and responsible use of AI within the university.

Verhoef then explains how NWU is prioritising student development to ensure its graduates remain competitive in the workforce of the future.

He concludes by sharing insights into NWU’s AI literacy courses and how students have responded to these initiatives.

Watch the full What’s Next interview with North-West University Professor Anné Verhoef below.