Technology
Lenovo Further Gains Momentum in First Quarter FY 2017/18
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Behind the strength of its 3-wave strategy, Lenovo’s business transformation continued to gain traction during the first quarter, delivering solid profitability in its core PC and smart devices business, and revenue and profit improvements in targeted growth areas, including the data center and mobile businesses.
Fuelled by new investments in people and products, Lenovo’s Data Center Group (DCG) introduced the most comprehensive product lineup in its history, with the new ThinkSystem and ThinkAgile portfolio, and continued to build out its end-to-end sales organization. Similarly, Lenovo’s Mobile Business Group launched significant new products led by the Moto Z2 Force, available now on all major U.S. carriers, and ramped up its branding efforts worldwide.
“In the first quarter this fiscal year, we had stable performance as we executed our 3-wave strategy with commitment. We maintained our industry leading profitability in PC, built the foundation in mobile and data centre, and further invested in ‘Device + Cloud’ and ‘Infrastructure + Cloud’ powered by Artificial Intelligence,” said Yang Yuanqing, Lenovo Chairman and CEO. “We have made solid progress on every front of our strategy. Particularly MBG continued to improve, and is on track to breakeven by second half of this fiscal year. DCG gained good momentum as well. As the two new growth engines gain speed, we believe the sustainable results will soon follow.”
For its first fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2017, Lenovo’s quarterly revenue was US$10 billion, flat year-over-year, but an increase quarter-to-quarter of 4.5 percent. First quarter pre-tax loss was US$69 million, with a net loss of US$72 million.
Operating profit was up US$110 million quarter-to-quarter. The Company’s gross profit for the first fiscal quarter decreased 11 percent year-over-year to US$1.4 billion, yet remained flat quarter-to-quarter, with gross margin at 13.6 percent. Basic loss per share for the quarter was 0.66 US cents, or 5.15 HK cents.
Lenovo introduced its 3-wave strategy, namely balancing PCSD growth and profit, accelerating our DCG and MBG growth engines, and investing in non-hardware areas, to both meet today’s market dynamics while positioning the Company for longer-term profitable growth. Lenovo is investing in core technology and next-generation platforms that will help customers move towards a smart internet era where all smart devices will be connected to the cloud and powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI).
While Lenovo is focused on new technologies with our ‘Device + Cloud strategy’, the Lenovo Capital and Investment Group (LCIG), the Company’s provider of IoT solutions, reached a first quarter milestone of over three million users on its Global API platform.
In addition, as Lenovo continued to expand its ecosystem, LenovoID (a unique identification of directly reachable users across Lenovo devices) reached 225 million users in the first quarter. The progress Lenovo is making in its non-hardware businesses, such as software, services, and big data, is already gaining significant traction and winning new customers.
At its third annual Tech World event, held last month in Shanghai, Lenovo demonstrated several new consumer and commercial products, such as SmartVest wearable technology and daystAR glasses to help with industrial maintenance. Lenovo also announced a US$1.2 billion investment in AI research and development, and is pursuing smart solutions and partnerships in the manufacturing, healthcare and transportation sectors.
Business Group Overview
In our PC and Smart Devices (PCSD) business group, which includes PCs, tablets and smart devices, the average selling price of our PC + tablet products improved 7.8 percent year-over-year, meaning that customers were gravitating to Lenovo’s more innovative, higher-end products. Despite industry-wide component shortages and subsequent cost-hike pressures, Lenovo maintained its industry-leading profitability.
PCSD revenue was US$7 billion, with flat growth year-over-year. However, quarter-to-quarter, PCSD revenue grew 4.8 percent. Pre-tax income was US$291 million and pre-tax income margin fell to 4.2 percent, mainly due to the industry-wide increased component costs.
Lenovo’s PC business in the first quarter recorded share gains in Asia Pacific, Europe and Latin America, and worldwide shipped 12.4 million units. In China, where Lenovo still enjoys almost 36 percent market share, the Company appointed a strong new consumer-focused leader to run its PCSD business. In North America as well, where the PCSD business has been flat, new leadership is now in place to help boost sales.
Lenovo’s Mobile Business Group (MBG), which includes Moto and Lenovo-branded smartphones, saw encouraging revenue growth outside of China to US$1.7 billion, 7.6 percent increase year-over-year. As an example of the Company’s continuing momentum in this business, Lenovo achieved its publically-stated goal of selling three million Moto Z smartphones within the first 12 months.
For the second consecutive quarter MBG has continued to grow revenue and improve profitability, with revenue up two percent year-over-year to US$1.7 billion and a pre-tax income margin improvement of 2.2 pts. during the same period.
With 11 million smartphones shipped in the first quarter, Lenovo grew 12.3 percent year-over-year outside of China, driven by significant gains in both Western Europe and Latin America, up 137 percent and 56 percent respectively year-over-year.
Lenovo’s Data Center Group (DCG), which includes servers, storage, software and services, continued to focus on the transformative actions that will help drive long-term DCG competitiveness, such as strengthening our sales teams, investing in the channel, revamping our product lines, building our brand strategy, and adding new partnerships.
These actions helped to stabilize the business outside of China in the first quarter with quarter-to-quarter revenue growth of 14 percent. Particularly encouraging was the year-over-year revenue growth in Western Europe and North America of 11 percent and eight percent respectively, including quarter-over-quarter revenue growth of 22 and 19 percent respectively. In both geographies, new leadership, a restructured sales organization, and new products are beginning to pay the expected dividends, and we expect that trend to accelerate into other geographies, including China, as we execute our DCG transformation worldwide.
Another positive sign in DCG was a pre-tax income margin improvement of 1.7 pts. quarter-to-quarter. In addition to these financial indicators, DCG set 42 world-record benchmarks on the new Intel platform, more than any of our competitors and Lenovo continued to be the world’s fastest-growing super-computing provider, number 1 in China and under recent new leadership there, secured a major win with Peking University.
The Rise of AI Face Swap Technology
AI face swap technology has evolved from a novelty into a powerful creative tool. What once required professional video editing software and hours of manual work can now be done in seconds with a single click. Fueled by advances in deep learning and generative AI, face swap tools have become remarkably realistic and accessible. By 2026, millions of content creators, marketers, filmmakers, and everyday users rely on these tools for entertainment, business, and personal projects. As the technology matures, choosing the right tool has never been more important — or more competitive.
How to Use AI Face Swap in Your Work and Daily Life
AI face swap tools are no longer just for fun — they’re reshaping how we work and communicate:
- Content Creation & Social Media: Swap faces to create viral memes, funny videos, or personalized content that drives engagement on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.
- Marketing & Advertising: Brands use face swap to localize ad campaigns by replacing models with regional faces, saving time and budget on reshoots.
- Film & Video Production: Indie filmmakers use AI face swap for de-aging effects, stunt doubles, or recreating scenes without expensive CGI.
- E-Commerce & Fashion: Virtual try-on experiences let shoppers see how they’d look in different outfits or hairstyles.
- Personal Fun: Swap your face onto movie characters, historical figures, or your favorite celebrities for entertaining social content.
- Education & Training: Create realistic training simulations or educational videos with customized faces.
How to Judge a Good AI Face Swap Tool
Not all face swap tools are created equal. Here’s what to look for:
- Realism & Quality: Smooth blending, accurate skin tone matching, and consistent lighting.
- Speed: Results in seconds, not minutes.
- Ease of Use: An intuitive interface for non-technical users.
- Privacy & Security: Clear data policy — no storing images without consent.
- Multi-Format Support: Handles photos, videos, and real-time swaps.
- Customization Options: Fine-tuning for expression, angle, and lighting.
- Pricing & Value: Transparent pricing with a free tier or trial.
Part 4: Top 5 AI Face Swap Tools in 2026
🥇 1. Easemate — Best Overall Pick
Website: https://www.easemate.ai/
🔑 Key Features: Supports photo & video face swapping with real-time preview, batch processing, automatic skin tone matching, intelligent lighting adjustment, and multi-face detection for group photos. Privacy-first design — images are never stored without consent.
✅ Pros: Exceptional realism with accurate edge detection and shadow rendering. Lightning-fast even for HD video. Beginner-friendly interface with zero technical knowledge required. Flexible, affordable pricing for individuals and teams. Strong privacy policy for peace of mind.
❌ Cons: Batch video processing and 4K export require a paid plan.
2. DeepFaceLab — Best for Advanced Users & Filmmakers
🔑 Key Features: Deep neural network-based swaps with full control over face alignment, blending modes, mask refinement, and custom model training on personal datasets.
✅ Pros: Completely free and open-source. Unmatched customization for experienced users. Huge active community with tutorials and pre-trained models. Ideal for long-form video and cinematic-quality projects.
❌ Cons: Steep learning curve, requires high-performance GPU, no cloud version.
3. Reface — Best for Fun & Social Media
🔑 Key Features: Mobile-first app with a massive library of celebrity clips, movie scenes, GIFs, and meme templates. Real-time facial landmark mapping and one-tap social sharing to Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp.
✅ Pros: Extremely easy to use — just take a selfie and pick a template. Library updated regularly with trending pop culture content. Perfect for casual entertainment and viral social content.
❌ Cons: Mobile only; not suitable for professional or high-resolution output.
4. FaceSwapper.ai — Best for Quick, No-Fuss Photo Swaps
🔑 Key Features: Browser-based, one-click photo face swap with no account required. Supports JPG, PNG, and WEBP formats. Developer-friendly API for app integration and automated workflows.
✅ Pros: Zero-signup experience — incredibly accessible for one-off tasks. Fast, straightforward, and frictionless. Robust API for developers needing programmatic access.
❌ Cons: Limited video support and fewer customization options. Best for simple, single-image use cases.
5. Vidnoz AI — Best All-in-One Video Platform
🔑 Key Features: Full video creation suite including face swap, AI avatar generation, text-to-video, voice cloning, lip-sync dubbing, and multilingual video translation. Face swap integrates seamlessly with the broader production workflow.
✅ Pros: Outstanding value as a multi-function platform. Solid video output quality with regular improvements. Generous free tier available. Great for businesses producing localized or multilingual video content at scale.
❌ Cons: Face swap is a secondary feature — lacks the depth and advanced controls of dedicated tools.
Part 5: Conclusion
AI face swap in 2026 is smarter and more accessible than ever. Among all options, Easemate stands out as the best all-around choice — combining professional-grade quality with an effortless experience and a privacy-first approach. Start with Easemate today.
Part 6: FAQ
Q1: Is AI face swap legal?
Yes, for personal and creative use. Using it for deception or non-consensual imagery is illegal in many jurisdictions.
Q2: Is Easemate free?
It offers a free tier; premium plans unlock batch processing and high-res video output.
Q3: Can these tools work on videos?
Yes — Easemate, DeepFaceLab, and Vidnoz AI all support video face swapping.
Q4: How do I protect my privacy?
Choose platforms with clear privacy policies. Easemate is known for its privacy-first approach.
Q5: Photo vs. video face swap — what’s the difference?
Photo swap is faster and simpler. Video requires frame-by-frame processing but delivers more impressive results.
Q6: Do I need technical skills?
Not at all! Tools like Easemate are designed for everyday users — just upload and let the AI handle the rest.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria has emerged as Africa’s highest-ranked country in the latest Global Index on Responsible AI (GIRAI), climbing 42 places globally in just two years.
Nigeria rose from 80th globally in 2024 to 38th in the world with a score of 45.93.
The GIRIA ranking boosts Nigeria’s appeal as a destination for AI talent, innovation and investment.
According to the Cape Town-based independent research and policy think tank, the ranking is one of the world’s most comprehensive assessments of responsible AI. It evaluates 135 countries across five pillars: inclusion and diversity, ethics and sustainability, labour and skills, trust and safety, and AI use in public services.
Despite that rapid adoption, the report found that public governance capacity remains weak. Average GIRAI scores stand at only about 35 out of 100 globally, while evidence of implementation exists in just 55 per cent of countries with responsible AI frameworks, dropping to 45% across the Global South.
Nigeria’s rise reflects deliberate policy efforts to strengthen its AI ecosystem.
According to the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Mr Bosun Tijani, the government has accelerated work on its National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (NAIS), expanded digital public infrastructure, invested in digital skills, developed governance frameworks for emerging technologies, and strengthened international partnerships to ensure AI is deployed responsibly.
“This recognition is a testament to Nigeria’s deliberate efforts to build an AI ecosystem that is inclusive, responsible, and aligned with our development priorities,” he said.
“We believe that Africa must not only participate in the AI revolution but also contribute meaningfully to shaping how these technologies are governed and deployed globally.
“Our focus remains on creating the infrastructure, talent, and policy environment that will enable AI to deliver real value for our people and support President Bola Tinubu’s vision of building a $1 trillion economy,” he added.
The report identified Nigeria as a global “Bright Spot” for combining AI skills development with safeguards for children and vulnerable groups.
The index noted that Nigeria is among the few African countries that have attempted to simultaneously prepare citizens for an AI-driven future while strengthening protections against the risks posed by emerging technologies.
It highlighted the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, which mandates AI literacy programmes, teacher training and broader capacity-building initiatives across the country.
The report also cited the Federal Government’s flagship 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme for delivering structured AI and machine learning training through a hybrid model designed to reach young people nationwide.
In terms of regulation, GIRAI recognised the Nigeria Data Protection Act and the General Application and Implementation Directive (GAID) 2025 for introducing enhanced safeguards for children’s personal data, including parental consent requirements and restrictions on decisions based solely on automated processing.
The report said these initiatives position Nigeria as an example of how governments can pursue AI adoption without overlooking digital rights and citizen protection.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The need for accessible, affordable and locally relevant Artificial Intelligence (AI) to drive Africa’s digital future has been emphasised by the Managing Director of ipNX, Mr Ejovi Aror.
Mr Aror, whose paper was presented by the company’s Director of Strategic Business Initiatives, Mr Olusola Teniola, at the West Africa Telecoms Infrastructure Summit and Exhibition (WATISE) on June 18, 2028, said AI is not a new concept, but has been in existence since 1955 and is an integral part of today’s digital ecosystem, with intelligent algorithms already embedded in so-called ‘traditional’ telecommunications networks and services.
At the event held in Lagos, Mr Aror, in his paper titled Next-G Telecoms Infrastructure and Ethical AI in Networking Management, stated that, “Artificial Intelligence already shapes how networks are managed, optimised, and secured. The conversation is not about whether AI will transform telecommunications, but how we can ensure that its benefits are responsibly deployed.”
He emphasised that while Africa may not have played a leading role during the earliest stages of AI development, the continent still has a significant opportunity to shape the next phase of innovation by developing technologies that address local challenges and realities.
“Africa does not need to be solely a consumer of AI technologies developed elsewhere. There is a unique opportunity to build solutions that reflect our local contexts, address our specific needs, and create value for our economies and communities,” he stated.
The presentation also highlighted the importance of ethical considerations in AI deployment, particularly as intelligent systems become increasingly involved in network operations, service delivery, decision-making processes, and customer interactions.
Mr Aror stressed that the development of AI must be guided by principles of transparency, accountability, privacy, and inclusivity to ensure that innovation delivers meaningful benefits to society.
He further noted that the success of AI across Africa will depend on continued investment in digital infrastructure, including broadband connectivity, data centres, cloud platforms, and reliable telecommunications networks capable of supporting advanced digital services.
The discussions at WATISE 2026 reinforced the strategic importance of the telecommunications industry as the foundation of Nigeria’s digital economy. While stakeholders highlighted the role of telecom infrastructure in enabling innovation across various sectors, participants underscored the need for improved digital literacy, public awareness, and responsible use of emerging technologies.
ipNX was recognised at the event as the Best Customer-centric Telecoms Operator. As Nigeria’s leading technology and connectivity provider, the brand remains committed to advancing the infrastructure, innovation, and collaborative partnerships required to unlock the full potential of AI and support Africa’s digital transformation.
