G20 must engage broader int'l community on AI to unlock full potential: South African minister
Johannesburg, Apr 12 (PTI): The G20 nations must collaborate and engage with the broader international community to navigate the complex landscape of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and unlock its full potential in service of humanity, a South African minister has said.
“As we enter the decisive phase of the Digital Industrial Revolution, it is clear that AI is central to reshaping economies, governance, and daily life,” South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Mondli Gungubele said at the G20 Task Force gathering on AI, Data, Governance, and Innovation for Sustainable Development organised here recently.
South Africa holds the Presidency of the G20 for 2025.
“As we enter the decisive phase of the Digital Industrial Revolution, it is clear that AI is central to reshaping economies, governance, and daily life,” Gungubele said at the gathering in Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape province.
“This Task Force creates an opportunity for the G20 to establish a platform for continued dialogue and collaboration among G20 members, along with engagement with the broader international community to navigate the complex landscape of AI and unlock its full potential in service of humanity.
“Artificial Intelligence presents us with the opportunity to not only equalise and bridge the digital divide, but also deal with the triple challenges of poverty, inequality, and unemployment faced by the global South,” the minister said.
Gungubele said the meeting presented an opportunity to respond to the fragmented approach and address shortcomings in international AI governance, so as to effectively address the multifaceted risks associated with AI while maximising the benefits to support inclusive and sustainable social and economic transformation.
“It is not merely a technological shift but a civilisational one, influencing sectors like food systems, healthcare, education, climate resilience, and the labour market. Yet, with its potential comes the challenge of mitigating risks, such as algorithmic bias, digital exclusion, surveillance, and misinformation,” he said.
Trust in AI must be earned through inclusion and representation, ensuring that women, youth, and persons with disabilities are not just participants but leaders in this transformation, Gungubele said.
“As members of the G20, which consists of economies representing over 85% of global GDP, we have a responsibility and an opportunity to shape an AI future that is not only intelligent but also just, not only innovative, but also inclusive,” he said.
Gungubele commended G20 members India, China, the UK and the US for having moved significantly in creating and utilising AI technology, saying that these countries should be seen as case studies for other G20 members to emulate.
"We must congratulate them on the strides they have made and use platforms like this one to learn how to fully take advantage of these digital technologies,” he said.
Gungubele suggested four actions that G20 states should take to achieve this.
These were finding ways of balancing technological advancements with ethical, environmental, and societal considerations; avoiding working in silos because the lack of transparency raised concerns about accountability; ensuring that a robust privacy protection framework is developed; and ensuring that regulation and compliance frameworks are clear and solid, as ambiguous frameworks tend to scare away investors and innovators.
Catering for indigenous languages also came under the spotlight in the minister’s address as he shared that by June this year, South Africa would receive 3,000 state-of-the-art GPUs through a partnership with Strive Masiyiwa and NVIDIA.
“This investment will enable African-language AI development, climate forecasting, crop diagnostics, and healthcare innovations — creating a foundation for Africa's digital sovereignty.
“Together, we have a shared responsibility to build AI that recognises every language, honours every identity, and advances the dignity of all people," Gungubele said. PTI FH SCY
(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No editing has been done in the headline or the body by ABP Live.)
world