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to patients (Bloomfield et al. 2021; NHS 2020). In South Africa, where health systems are constantly under pressure due to a high disease burden and scarce resources, AI provides a platform to enhance care delivery in areas with few healthcare workers.
However, the application of AI raises significant issues worth noting, especially environmental implications. Implementation of AI systems tends to operate on large datasets which require enormous energy, both in training and running these systems, posing a challenge regarding their carbon footprint (Moyano-Fernández 2022; Van Wynsberghe 2021). For nations such as South Africa, where availability of energy is another challenge, coupled with regular load shedding, the application of AI in saving the environment and in healthcare needs to be cognizant of the current provision of energy. Therefore, sustainable sources of energy should accompany the use of AI and all of the energy resources should be focused on the social aspects. This seeks to ensure that the advantages of using AI are not compromised by its adverse effects on the environment.
Through the integration of new technology in responsible and sustainable ways, in South Africa it is possible to find solutions to various problems, including wildlife protection, management of resources and healthcare delivery. This includes implementation of AI technology in monitoring biodiversity, in anti-poaching activities and even in provision of healthcare services, which is among the main priorities of the country. While South Africa faces environmental and health issues, the advancement of AI technology provides an avenue for development that conserves the nation’s resources while enhancing the quality of life for its people.
Conclusions
The ability to leverage AI to overcome challenges such as the ongoing energy crisis, crime control, workforce dynamics, politics, and protecting the environment in South Africa is encouraging. On the flip side, the introduction of AI in any sphere of life is not without certain challenges, such as the technology gap, moral issues, and lack of human resource capacity. The examples of smart grid projects in Dubai and predictive energy modelling in the UK can serve as great sources of inspiration for South Africa with respect to energy management, crime control and public sector management.
It can be envisaged that application of AI analytics techniques will assist in the improvement of demand forecasting for electricity, that will minimise the electricity supply deficit, smart grid implementation and renewable energy sources utilisation. This kinetic energy would have to be coupled with investigations to assess how AI can
influence increasing energy efficiency, societal acceptance of renewable energy, and available energy adoption technologies in South Africa. AI-aided transformations would allow the energy system in South Africa to be less dependent on coal and be more efficient.
The application of AI in policing and mitigating crime would boost crime analysis, aid in efficient distribution of resources, and enhance real-time decision-making. At the same time, moral issues, especially concerning bias through facial recognition technologies or predictive policing machines, should be dealt with., It will be important to build moral principles and reinforce AI surveillance for it to be beneficial in law enforcement. There is a need for future research to focus on evaluation of the effectiveness of AI in police operations and its ethical implications, as well as the development of non-invasive policing technologies.
With regard to the employment sector, AI has the potential to revolutionise age-old industries and open up opportunities, such as jobs as data trainers, AI specialists and the like. However, other sectors where routine tasks can be automated are likely to be threatened with a certain level of job losses. To optimise the societal economic advantages of AI strategies implemented in South Africa it is critical for the nation to focus on technology and maturity of its industries as well as the availability of skilled labour. More studies must be conducted to understand the effects of AI on different sectors, examining existing training programme providers in the country, and developing policies regarding the ethical use of AI in employment processes. Understanding processes through which AI increases productivity and brings growth to economies is also very important, as it helps to understand the wider economic meaning and context of such tools in South Africa.
The introduction of AI can also revolutionise governance and the provision of public goods and services in the country. AI could increase productivity levels in government ministries and agencies by improving resource coordination and streamlining processes. However, the slow pace at which AI is embraced in the public sector, issues such as skills development and policy development, as well as a general distrust of technology present challenges. To address these constraints, the attention of the country must turn towards developing local AI applications, building stakeholder synergies, and improving supervisory mechanisms. Future research should address the challenges that can arise in the public sector through AI penetration and governance, as well as policy agility.
AI has specific objectives in the health and environmental fields, which is curtailing medical waste and ecosystems
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