The Digital Economy New Threat: Will Al erase African workers?

It's said that to solve a problem, we must first understand what the problem is, the root cause and provide the necessary solutions.The new slavery is still Africans seeking greener pastures outside their own countries. This also reflects in the borrowed culture(etiquettes, fashion and behavior) that we've imbibed. Don't get me wrong. While this has helped Africans in most cases, take for instance the procedures carried out in turning cassava into what we know as "Garri" (cassava flakes). Also the electric blenders we have today, they've made life so much easier unlike the palatable grinding stones we used, crushing our palms as we grinded. This shows our forefathers then were creatives. They weren't liabilities hence when technology came, it just enhanced what was already there making things faster and easier regardless, it has also limited us. We've become trained to consume rather than create. Take for instance Chat gpt, Gemini and whatnot which are now the brains behind some individuals. No more creative thinking and reasoning. ‎‎We don't really question how the system works, how to make changes favourable to us. How to maximize opportunities rather we crave for finished products. Same reason we are bent on importation.‎‎One of the problems Africans face regarding the digital economy is lack of digital skills. The population of literates cannot be compare to that of illiterates in our countries. As a matter of fact, there are hometowns, villages that are yet to perceive the sweet fragrance of civilization. How then can these individuals comprehend the digital world and work towards creating a change?‎‎Also there is a problem of poor infrastructure. Some African countries enjoy stable electricity but for instance, a country like Nigeria is still struggling to provide electricity without several power outage in a day. Few places are privileged to experience living in the luxury of a 24hours day light. Buying of solar panels have become the option but with the increasingly devasting rate of unemployment, how many individuals can afford basic amenities let alone bother about electricity? ‎‎Lastly, is the case of inequality and overdependence on foreign Technology.‎People in the rural areas are less privileged or open to modernization. Barely few individuals can afford a mobile phone let alone understand how it works. Most use it only for phonecalls. Hence the inequality as people in the urban area are beneficiaries of civilization. Let's bring it back to us. Most genzs would prefer Hollywood over Nollywood any day, prefer foreign kitchen cuisines over local dishes and also prefer using quick means such as AI specifically "Chat gpt" to generate answers over books in so doing, we are enabling and training the modern technology. What might have caused this? The consumer comfort mentality. We enjoy eating while the while the west farms for us even if they tried poisoning us, we might not know due to the fact that we are so much caught up in the enticing and appealing appearance of the food even ‎at the surface level and blind to what lays underneath or in the long run. ‎Now the good news is, there is hope for Africans in the digital economy. One way to elevate and create room for Africans workers in this digital economy is the expansion of access to global digital opportunities. How can this be done? For this to be successfully carried out, the government has to become involved. How so? Enablement of programmes that exposes students early to the digital world and provisions of digital prizes. This could train Africans on how the digital world works and how they can maximize opportunities regardless of the availability of Al.‎‎Secondly is the support of innovations and Tech development. This reduces dependence on foreign technologies. Africa as a continent is blessed with talented individuals. If our young innovators could be encouraged and supported by the government and citizens, AI becomes our leverage tool into achieving our own goal. ‎‎Moreso, inasmuch as Al is speedily taking over the digital space, Al is still limited in some areas such as emotional support. We might delude ourselves with Al to feel good but it can never replace a human to human emotional support. Africans can still earn through talking, listening and emotionally supporting people online. Korea has a line of sort. Where maybe you're depressed, tired or suicidal and you just dial and speak to somebody who's ready to listen and help you. Al might try but it can't be real as a human would in this situation.‎‎Conclusively and in final response to the question: "with Al advancing at lightning speed, what future is left for African workers in the digital economy?" I would say "alot". Much more is left for Africans only if first: we are willing to quit being mere consumers rather creators and secondly, if our innovators are supported and encouraged. ‎

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