IS THE GLOBAL SOUTH READY TO EMBRACE THE AI AND EMERGING TECH WAVE?

In a discussion about the Global South's readiness to embrace AI and emerging technologies, several key points emerge. Public and private sectors in the Global North are rapidly deploying technology, especially in areas requiring pattern recognition, like healthcare and finance. However, they face challenges due to existing infrastructures and regulatory frameworks. In contrast, the Global South often announces initiatives without following through, highlighting a need for alignment between announcements and actions. The importance of industry-specific skills is emphasized, with examples from the automotive and hospitality sectors. The discussion also touches on the need for data scientists and AI experts, as well as cloud infrastructure skills. Governments in the Global South are encouraged to play a role in re-skilling and up-skilling the youth, despite being cash-strapped. The role of educational institutions is crucial, as they adapt to new AI-driven learning methods. Finally, the potential for job displacement and creation through AI and automation is discussed, with a focus on re-skilling the workforce.