Develop AI (Pty) Ltd is a media-focused AI consultancy and training company that helps newsrooms adopt artificial intelligence responsibly. Founded by journalist and media entrepreneur Paul McNally, the firm works with public and private broadcasters, publishers and media support organisations to design practical AI policies, build prototypes and train staff. Its programs range from newsroom AI audits and hands‑on workshops to one‑on‑one mentoring and progress reporting.
The company builds tools tailored to media needs. MediaMap, its in‑beta assessment platform, maps how news organisations use AI and identifies gaps through a chat‑based diagnostic. The company is involved in AI language development work in Zimbabwe, along with CITE and International Media Support they are working to strengthen AI resources for minority languages.
Beyond product work, Develop AI publishes a weekly newsletter on AI and runs training across Africa, Europe, MENA, Asia and the Pacific with partners such as DW Akademie, the United States Agency for Global Media, Public Media Alliance and the Thomson Reuters Foundation. McNally has judged WAN‑IFRA’s Best Use of AI in the Newsroom and speaks regularly at industry forums, including the M20 Summit in Johannesburg and DW’s Global Media Forum. The company states it has helped more than one hundred newsrooms implement or build AI tools and processes aligned with editorial values.