Wild AIdea: Tag East Africans like jumbos and let them to freely roam the region
The big break in East Africa will need us to understand that AI ultimately is not about technology, but how we think about the place of human beings in it, and in our region will likely come from unlikely places. ILLUSTRATION | JOSEPH NYAGAH | NMG
In May 2017, the World Economic Forum (WEF) published a report titled The Future of Jobs and Skills in Africa: Preparing the Region for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, urging that, “As one of the youngest populations in the world, it is imperative that adequate investments are made in education and learning that holds value in the labour market and prepares citizens for the world of tomorrow.”
On the disruption of the job market by new technology, the report noted that, “While it is predicted that 41 percent of all work activities in South Africa are susceptible to automation, as are 44 percent in Ethiopia, 46 percent in Nigeria and 52 percent in Kenya; this is likely moderated by comparatively low labour costs and offset by new job creation.
