JEAN-PIERRE MURRAY-KLINE ARTICLES
THE APPLE FALLS FAR FROM THE TREE
There is this 160 km-long valley (give or take a few meters) in South Africa, called the Apple Express, or the Pear Fact valley – pear factory. It’s a special spot in Mzansi where things are a-pear-ably going well, apparently? Langkloof is an agricultural gem found in the Eastern Cape.
I was invited to do a little work on the future of pears and apples in the area and want to share a little about what I learned with you. Let me start off by saying many people have been hit in the head with apples…
CHATGPT WANTS A SEAT AT THE BOARD
I recently did some work for a group of important people from the NFOSA, who, while not an oversight body, through my eyes and for all intents and purposes, certainly set the standard among their peers.
They were wanting to peer into the future and see what technological opportunities they might have to better serve their organizations purpose, and I was honoured to be able to share some ideas. They were particularly interested in Artificial Intelligence.
YOUR WEB TRAFFIC HAS DROPPED AND I KNOW WHY
Without any doubt, this article is about one of the biggest influences in digital marketing in 2025, with acronyms AEO and GEO.
The answer to why website traffic has dropped!
Ready for it? AEO stands for Answer Engine Optimization, and GEO stands for Generative Engine Optimization. The effects of these have been…
NOT A FAN OF AUDITS
I visited FanCourt to present ideas to a client of mine in a keynote talk called “Prepare for an AI Audit.”
The talk was meant to be called ‘Prepare for an Audit,’ but because many of my audience guests were Chartered Accountants, my client thought the title might need to be adjusted to reduce anxiety. I happily agreed, who needs more stress in this day and age, and why not add in AI to reduce some human tension, that’s the point of it right?
HOW TO END WAR
Why, why, why has it taken me so very long to write about the influence of war? It’s certainly not because I have not wanted to. It’s been a massive gaping subject in my article portfolio and constantly on my mind. Nagging me day in and day out. Similar to how Cyril Ramaphosa must feel about the Phala Phala scandal?
There are two main reasons I delayed the article you are reading today…
THE FUTURE OF AUCTIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA
Ever been to an auction? I personally have not, but I recently acquired two clients in the industry. One was an exceptional client; the other, unfortunately, breached their contract with one of my businesses! Let me not name and shame.
The experiences did, however, get me thinking about the auction industry in general.
MILLING ABOUT IN THE FUTURE
The future of the Milling industry in South Africa.
I research a number of sectors and their trajectory. Recently, I got to work on the ‘Milling Industry.’ It was a unique experience because it’s not too often I get to share an overall ‘good outlook’ for a sector. I am no miller, farmer, or anything even vaguely related (and you could tell this in a heartbeat if you met me in person), but I don’t need to be an expert in my client’s industry to do my particular job. I need to look at a client’s operation from an impartial and abstract position, and in fact, in order to do my job well, I need to know…
THE FUTURE OF INSURANCE
Will there be insurance companies in the future? How about insurance brokers? I am sure these are some of the questions my audience had in their minds as I walked up onto the stage at the UnconFerence in February 2025 for my new client, iTOO Special Risks Insurance.
When preparing my research, I had to ask myself, what was the first thing you ever insured? Cell phone? Car? The first real thing I ever insured, truthfully, was a person: my mother-in-law. She worked for me and I had an invested interest.
2025 DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN SOUTH AFRICA
Hype vs Reality?
Imagine stepping into a world where technology transforms the very fabric of our everyday lives—this is what 2025 promises, AGAIN. Will we really see that in 2025 for South Africans? No, we won’t. (Just for a select few and some other lucky ones.)
As industries evolve, one thing is clear for me: embracing digital transformation is no longer optional; it’s essential for survival…
SOUTH AFRICA AND AI TODAY
In 2025, in our rapidly evolving business landscape, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) has become a trending topic. According to reports from IBM and Deloitte, only about 35% of businesses have successfully knitted AI technologies into their operations—a figure that’s likely to be even lower in Africa (in my opinion).
Yet, a recent survey by HubSpot offers (perhaps) a tiny glimmer of optimism? They said nearly 75% of marketers anticipate that AI will soon become a standard feature in their daily work.
WILL THERE BE TRAVEL AGENTS IN THE FUTURE?
Towards the end of 2024, I was invited to speak to one of the leading travel agencies in South Africa. One of the questions I was meant to answer was whether there will be travel agents in the future. Let me answer that in this article and also share some insights on other influences affecting the travel and hospitality industry in general.
Remember I am a writer, so I decided to put all this information into a nice story, a whirlwind trip so to speak, so grab your passport, sunscreen and don’t forget your imagination!
TO AI OR NOT TO AI
That is the question.
I did a keynote talk for a very forward-thinking business. Some of the points I shared, I feel, could be applied to a number of businesses, especially those with a curiosity for AI and its possible implementation in business structures.
So, if you are wondering about “To AI or Not to AI,” you might enjoy this article. I want to start by saying you cannot have a smart device or a smart city if the people using it or living in it are not also smart. I am not trying to be rude here, but it is a fact that people do not always use technology for good.
THERE IS LOTS OF SPACE TO MINE
As a Business and Environmental Technologist, I take into consideration environmental, technological, and business interests while researching influences that will affect the trajectory of our future. Your future. Let me be very clear, mining in space is the future. You don’t need to know who Captain Spock is to appreciate Space opportunities, but if there are already economists factoring it into their calculations just how ‘Space’ will affect our economies, then perhaps you should get up to speed with the subject?
I’LL GIVE YOU MONEY FOR YOUR PEE!
What’s the problem? You don’t want it anyway. You could make a lot of money considering the average person produces around 34,000 litres in their lifetime. Why on earth would I want your urine?
This liquid, which we are all too familiar with, is a by-product of a very natural process for all animals. After the body has taken the components it needs from our food and drink…
THE FUTURE OF SOUTH AFRICA’S PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Ever get stuck in an elevator? We did. It gives you time to think!
When we ponder about getting from point A to point B, traveling by car probably comes first to mind. Or maybe you think about the 12,000 or more people who die on our roads each year during their attempt to get there? I asked my friend Andile to co-write this article with me because we both wanted to highlight a subject that is extremely influential on our country’s social, political, and economic fabric. We want to talk about how we get about.