Jeeten Bhoora has launched Siza AI, an e-mail based AI platform designed to answer questions and assist with learning directly through e-mail.
Bhoora says the platform offers a way for users in underserved and rural communities to interact with AI in their home language, without needing apps or a stable internet connection.
The technical architecture of Siza AI consists of two components – a custom-built e-mail engine and an intelligence system, he explains.
Bhoora developed a new e-mail exchange server, powered by what he calls VAZR (versatile agentic zoned responses). He says VAZR not only supports Siza’s current AI operations but is also designed to expand and integrate future tools and services.
At the core of the platform’s AI-driven responses is an AI stack that includes learning-optimised response agents.
“I was inspired by the team at Bank Zero. They showed that real innovation means doing the hard work first. We chose to rebuild the core systems so we wouldn’t be limited later on. The intelligence system handles the AI side,” says Bhoora.
Building an e-mail-based AI has its challenges, Bhoora explains. “E-mail clients don’t all follow the same standards. So I had to test Siza across many different platforms to make sure everything works the same for everyone. That took a lot of time.”
Furthermore, the e-mail protocol, SMTP, is open and decentralised, meaning anyone can send e-mails through SMTP – this required the team to develop robust mechanisms to ensure incoming messages are real and secure. “Keeping Siza trusted and secure was a key part of the development.”
The inspiration for Siza came from the evolution of AI and the rise of multi-modal large language models.
Bhoora sees the traditional user interface (UI) disappearing and believes e-mail might be the most overlooked interface to usher in this new phase of UI-less querying of information online.
By creating a platform that works through e-mail, Bhoora aims to ensure that Siza AI is in a format already familiar to people.
“E-mail is already on every smartphone and computer, built to withstand low bandwidth and even temporary internet blackouts with 'outbox' queuing, and it is used by over 4.5 billion people every day. On top of all that, there’s no learning curve. Everyone already knows how to use e-mail. This alone makes e-mail more accessible than any interface out there, or any yet to be invented,” says Bhoora.
Digital inclusion and accessibility are at the forefront of Siza. “I built Siza to make sure no one gets left behind.
“South Africa is already facing big challenges with youth unemployment and education, so we could be one of the hardest hit when AI starts to take over more tasks. I don’t think we can allow that to happen to South Africa.
“I chose e-mail as the way to bring AI to people because it’s simple, it works everywhere and everyone knows how to use it. My goal is to make AI easy to reach for those who need it most. Without AI, it’s going to be even harder to keep up with others who are already using it, in any field or type of work.
“Looking ahead, we’re working on a new application, still in stealth, that will take on companies like OpenAI in the consulting space. I know we cannot compete with big tech on model development, but where I think we can compete is distribution and access to models and that, I believe, is the most valuable part of the funnel, the neck,” concludes Bhoora.
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