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care that patients receive rather than filling in forms (World Economic Forum 2023b).
Nonetheless, the shift toward a more AI-driven economy is not straightforward, especially for the labour force in those sectors most susceptible to the threat of automation. Economists are worried that there will be an increase in income inequality as the incorporation of AI into workplaces will lead to the loss of jobs of many low- skilled workers. Introducing AI in South Africa, a country characterised by high levels of unemployment and skills shortages, is likely to enhance already existing inequality of employment opportunities for the disadvantaged, unless proactive educational and reskilling measures are taken (LinkedIn 2023). For South Africa to experience net gains in the labour market due to the implementation of AI, it is crucial that the country prioritises the upskilling of its workforce as well as policies promoting access to opportunities created by AI for all citizens.
AI in public sector governance
There are many advantages that the public sector in South Africa will gain from the use of AI, including increased efficiency, enhanced government services, streamlined decision-making, and elimination of decreased productivity due to bureaucracy. AI can help in this regard with tools such as automated decision-making systems, natural language processing tools, and predictive analysis, which helps in reducing administrative burdens and improving resource management as well as service provision in the major sectors of health, education, and social services (Ojo et al. 2019; Al-Mushayt 2019). Furthermore, AI-enhanced systems can break down the barriers of distance, thus increasing citizen participation through chat bots and other quick response systems.
The main challenge lies in the fact that the public sector in South Africa is lagging in the adoption of AI technologies. Challenges such as limited funding, shortage of skilled workforce, and underdeveloped technological infrastructure impede the extensive incorporation of AI (Straub et al. 2023; World Bank Group 2016). In addition, there are issues regarding integrity and privacy, since there are no adequate policies regulating how AI can be used in the public service. It is imperative for the authorities in South Africa to lay down sound policies and strategies, retrain the work force and resolve ethical concerns towards deployment of these technologies to reengineer the processes of governance. The state should also encourage international interaction to prevent the monopoly of AI advancements towards commercialisation and political ends (Beniwal and Singh 2024; Beraja et al. 2023).
The governance of AI will thus demand a delicate equilibrium between the drive for innovation and the
need to protect citizens, so that they will trust and believe in reforms of the public sector that involve AI.
AI in environmental conservation and healthcare
Trade in wildlife contraband, which encompasses both live and dead bodies, plants and their products, is still among the major black markets across the globe. The International Fund for Animal Welfare (2014) states that this kind of trade continues worldwide, even though all countries have tried to put in place measures against it. In South Africa common targets include species such as rhinos, elephants, lions, leopards, cheetahs, and wild dogs, to name but a few. These practices invariably involve “kidnapping, smuggling, death or life in chains, inflicting pain and torment” (Griffiths 2015; Wyatt 2013), which are detrimental to biodiversity and the ecological system.
The horns of rhinos and tusks of elephants are the main reasons they are poached, usually to provide the Asian regions with products (International Fund for Animal Welfare 2014). In contrast, lions are bred in captivity and killed during canned hunts, or poached for their bones, which are used to replace tiger bones in traditional medicine (Nowak 2015). Among the trained military fighters in South Africa, leopard skin is one of the ceremonial items, and they are also worn by sangomas, although a licence is required to own a leopard skin (Ramsay 2015). Middle Eastern illegal pet traders import cheetahs, while African dogs in the wild are considered either a nuisance or a threat to private practices that look after initiation (Miller 2010). Such undertakings pose a threat not only to the existence of these species but also destabilise the ecosystems, which in turn affects biodiversity. Such issues call for strict legal implementation, global cooperation, and awareness campaigns (Griffiths 2015).
AI is a powerful agent of change when it comes to the problems related to wildlife protection, management of resources, and social services such as health. With respect to environmental protection, AI tools like machine learning and remote sensing have been used in conserving biodiversity, reducing environmental crime, and controlling ecosystems. Moreover, AI systems will also improve the management of distribution of resources such as water, land, and forests, which are under serious threat from human beings and climate change.
In healthcare AI has also evolved, especially in terms of diagnosis, treatment, and management of patients. It extends the ability of medical practitioners to evaluate films, computer-assisted diagnosis resources, and treatment methods or protocols. AI is being adopted globally in areas such as improving breast cancer diagnosis and treatment procedures, value chain processes in the healthcare industry, and making health services available
68 | Proceedings of the conference on Public innovation, develoPment and sustainability