The third industrial revolution has come with technological advancements, threatening the relevance of mankind at the workplace. Hitherto, companies relied on several employees in a move to meet production targets, which in some cases did not happen, owing, but not limited to, the somehow lackadaisical attitudes of some employees.
However, with the advent of advanced technology, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), the story will soon change. According to TechTarget, a technology-specific website, AI is the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, especially computer systems.
Other technology portals define AI as a wide-ranging branch of Computer Science that builds smart machines competent to perform tasks that require human intelligence.
AI requires a foundation of specialised hardware and software for writing and training machine learning algorithms.
AI programming focuses on cognitive skills that include learning, reasoning, self-correction and creativity.
In 2021, the market for AI in marketing was estimated at 15.84 billion U.S. dollars, statista.com, a financial website has published and added to that, the source projected that the value would increase to more than 107.5 billion by 2028.
Ghana undeniably would not want to lose out on this sector, as it works to tap every lucrative avenue for revenue.
AI is important for its latency, which changes how humans live, work, and play. Research has proven that AI has been effectively used in business to automate tasks done by humans, including customer service work, lead generation, fraud detection and quality control.
In our research to write this Editorial, we learned that AI can perform tasks much better than humans, particularly repetitive, detail-oriented tasks such as analyzing large numbers of legal documents to ensure relevant fields are filled properly, and can often complete jobs quickly.
At a symposium to celebrate the legacy of the late Dr. Kofi Abrefa Busia, former Prime Minister of Ghana, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Okaikoi Central, Patrick Yaw Boamah advocated for “robust legislation to meet the growth of Artificial Intelligence,” arguing that it has broken into the daily activities of mankind.
We cannot agree with him any less, considering what experts in technology are telling us and what we can see with technology.
AI offers faster decision-making and unbiased decisions; when programmed properly, errors committed by humans can be reduced to null; and it is available anywhere and anytime.
It is argued that AI brings about laziness in humans, creates unemployment, and lacks creativity as it is programmed to function in a specific manner.
We acknowledge how important teamwork is for achieving goals, and considering that computers and other machines do not have feelings, AI should not have been entertained.
No nation would embrace a technology that poses a risk to its employed citizens, but since the world is also evolving, Ghana cannot be left behind.
We want Ghana to work towards embracing AI, as it can help in healthcare delivery, education, and transportation, among others.
The Chronicle believes that the disadvantages of AI in workplaces and the sectors mentioned, may not outweigh the advantages. For instance, the Zipline drone system is delivering medical products to hinterlands across the country at a snap of the finger.
However, we will suggest that employees do well to upgrade themselves to continue to stay relevant. Mind you, humans will be needed to programme the AI, monitor its performance and keep it in good condition to function properly.
Also, the government, like the Okaikoi Central MP proposed, should introduce robust legislation to guide AI in Ghana.
