ATW24: Minister Mondli Gungubele stresses the importance of Digital growth and AI

One of the biggest technology conferences, exhibition & awards ceremony celebrating African Innovation, Sentech Africa Tech Week took place last week and Business Tech Africa was honoured to be the official media partner.

One of the people that Business Tech Africa caught up with, is Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Mondli Gungubele. During the sit down, the minister elaborated on the importance of digital growth and it is vital for everyone to adapt to the times and how technology is constantly evolving.

Talking about the digital economic framework, Minister Gungubele said: “It is a hierarchy, you start with the foundational infrastructure which is leveraged by technological developers. They need that infrastructure, but that technology in the third layer is where it can be used in various sectors. The solutions that come then and the impact is tested on the state of the people.”

Minister Gungubele stressed that all sectors need digital technology. In Africa, South Africa is leading in terms of technology, industrialization, as well as economically and this is after at some point as a country we had fallen to a third place in terms of being the lead in Digital Technology adaptation. The Minister then highlighted that with great power, comes great responsibility. This means that since South Africa is carrying the title of leadership in the sector, we have to live up to it.

“For instance, if we say the data centers capacity is 80%, this means the majority of it in Africa sits with us, and we need to understand the implications thereof. That’s why ensuring that we intensify the personnel capabilities, or we make sure that we incentivize the data centers to stay within South Africa.” – the minister added.

The Minister highlighted that the Africa Tech Week Summit was looking to make sure that South Africa is coherent in auditing its capabilities, analyzing its gaps, and at the same time, working together to unleash those capabilities, but “in an environment that cannot threaten the co-existence globally from a point of AG and AIGA”. He mentioned that it is important to connect and upskill.

When Business Tech Africa asked Mr Gungubele whether or not he thinks AI is beneficial or detrimental to human beings, and whether it stands the risk of replacing human function, he said it actually stands a risk of being blocked at the expense of human prosperity. Elaborating on that statement, he said: “Its important that human beings lead ahead, to make sure that AI rather enhance human culture. The ability of people living together and feeling good, because human beings will never forfeit their right to be sure whether they will continue to exist or not. Anything that threatens that, they will deal with it.”

The Minister Gungubele emphasized that it is important for human beings to learn how to coexist with AI. He mentioned that there has to be governance, however, not to inhibit the benefits that AI brings to the table, there has to be a balance, otherwise others are going to weaponize it. He mentioned that any country that has a high aptitude in Technology, finds solutions in real time. “Digital technology is a game of quality and speed. Terabytes per second, so AI comes and moves very quickly.” – he added.

Joining the chat was the Sentech Chief Operating Officer, Tebogo Leshope, who talked about the company’s collaboration with the government to drive the artificial intelligence forward.

Sentech is a South African based digital infrastructure and content delivery company, and Leshope also encourages all businesses that are interested in contributing to the structure of the hubs that have already been established in the technology space in South Africa, to come through to the department for collaborations. “There are obviously AI solutions that businesses are providing out there for efficiency benefits, for enhancing government communications services, and any other services that could be realized. They could be in direct engagement with the department concerned.”

Picture Cred: ITWeb