When Ousmane Dicko couldn't find a mentor for his tech start-up, the 17-year-old Malian did what most people his age might not dream of: he cloned one.

Using publicly available content from French-Lebanese entrepreneur Oussama Ammar, he created an AI assistant that could channel the business mogul's ideas and principles, providing him guidance whenever needed.

This blend of audacity and technical skill has since become Dicko's trademark, earning him a spot on the 2025 Forbes 30 Under 30 list of most influential young Africans.

As the founder of Dicken AI – Mali's first artificial intelligence automation agency – he has already positioned himself at the forefront of the continent's tech revolution.

"My objective is straightforward: to revolutionise how African companies utilise technology to enhance efficiency and impact," Dicko tells TRT Afrika.

Dicken AI addresses a problem familiar to businesses across the continent: inefficient customer service that drains resources and loses clients.

The solution is an AI chatbot system capable of handling up to 90% of customer interactions automatically while maintaining a natural, conversational tone. The agents operate round the clock across WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, and company websites.

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"In most of the companies we work with, teams are overwhelmed by having to answer the same questions over and over again. This leads to a loss of responsiveness, customers, and money," explains Dicko.

"We enable companies to reduce their costs, increase their efficiency, and improve the customer experience. We specialise in creating customised AI agents tailored to each industry."

Precocious talent

Dicko's journey to entrepreneurship began with an early realisation of the infinite power of technology.

At seven, while playing video games, he first glimpsed the potential of digital technology. By adolescence, that interest had crystallised into ambition.

Armed with nothing but an internet connection and determination, he began his education in earnest.

"The first thing I did was type into Google: 'How to start an online business?' That's where it all began," the teenager recounts to TRT Afrika.

"I went on to read books, watch videos and take training courses...And I quickly realised that technology wasn't just fascinating, it could transform the world."

Algorithm creation, coding, software design – Dicko absorbed it all through online tutorials and videos, building his expertise from scratch.

However, when it was time to launch his enterprise, he found himself largely alone, despite promises of support that rarely materialised.

"I started alone. I received promises, sometimes sincere, sometimes unfulfilled, but very little concrete support," he says. "So, I decided to find another way."

Making things happen

The search for an alternative approach led to the creation of the AI mentor based on Ammar, co-founder of The Family, a successful business incubator.

"Since I couldn't have Ammar by my side, I developed an AI clone of him, a personal assistant powered by his ideas, principles and speeches," says Dicko.

"The clone allowed me to structure my thoughts, make better decisions and, above all, never feel alone in my progress."

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Three years after its founding, Dicken AI has expanded beyond customer service chatbots to develop lead generation tools and WhatsApp integrations.

The company is advancing into AI personalisation while offering training and support services. International partnerships are materialising, with potential clients and collaborators in Canada, France, Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire.

As Dicko prepares for his baccalaureate exams, top universities worldwide are likely taking notice. But his ambitions extend far beyond personal achievement. He envisions Dicken AI becoming the benchmark for AI services among French-speaking companies in Africa.

His medium-term goal is to create an African AI community – "a kind of Silicon Valley," the teenager declares – that fosters learning, sharing, and collaboration among tech professionals across the continent.

Looking further ahead, Dicko dreams of developing a large language model (LLM) created entirely by Africans. The goal would be to respond to the linguistic, cultural and economic realities of Africa.

For now, this teenager with the assurance of a seasoned entrepreneur continues to build, aiming to change how African businesses engage with technology.