NATIONAL NEWS - While artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to transform the way government communicates with its citizenry, its adoption must be ethical, inclusive, and rooted in African realities.

This is according to the Head of Digital Communications in the Presidency, Athi Geleba, who was speaking at the annual Women in Media and Communication panel discussion hosted by the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) on Tuesday.

Hosted in partnership with the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT),  the session was held under the theme: “Leveraging the use of AI in Education, Media and Communication.”

Geleba stressed that while she is not an AI expert, her experience in digital media has shown how powerful the technology is in reshaping society, work, and communication.

“AI is both exciting and an inevitable development and it's important for all of us to be part of the conversation. AI impacts our lives in some way, shape or form. It is transforming how we live, work, and communicate and in very fundamental ways.

“It can also help government with improving operational efficiencies and improve our ability to respond in real time and effectively to service delivery challenges," she said.

Geleba cited Google-led research adding that Africa’s AI future must be accessible, relevant, ethical, and data-sovereign. She also pointed to the African Union’s 2024 continental AI strategy and South Africa’s National AI Policy Framework, which seek to ensure responsible, inclusive adoption of the technology.

She added that AI could improve multilingual content creation, crisis communication, citizen engagement, and real-time translation of government information, such as the President’s weekly newsletter. 

It could also assist with sentiment analysis to help government become more responsive on social media platforms.

Risks 

However, Geleba cautioned against the exclusion of poor and rural communities, misinformation, bias, data misuse, and potential loss of public trust.

She said that ethical concerns remain significant because artificial intelligence carries the potential for bias, misinformation and disinformation.

“There is a risk of job displacement, increased unemployment, and a widening digital divide, which risks further exclusion of our poor and rural communities. AI must be human led, because tools don’t have lived experiences, cultural nuance, or emotional intelligence. Authentic storytelling must remain at the heart of communication,” she explained.

Digital skills and service

She called for practical digital skills training for public servants, the integration of AI in government systems, and transparency in how tools are used.

On how government communications can leverage AI, Geleba said there is a need for a digital public service while also adding the urgent need to transform the public sector capacity if the country is to deliver services that are fit for the 21st century.

“We need 21st century government communications leadership and as government communicators, and indeed, the entire public service. We cannot afford to be left behind, we need to be leading the transformation. We need the policy execution. We currently do have the framework, but we must implement policies and not just write them.

Geleba further emphasised the importance of practical training in digital transformation for communicators and public servants, adding that it is equally critical to begin integrating AI into systems and workflows.

“There will come a time when AI proficiency is a baseline requirement in the workplace. As government communicators, we are an integral part of the conversation around artificial intelligence, because government communications is at the heart of accountability of our democracy,” she said.

Leaving no one behind

She urged young people particularly women to embrace AI as an opportunity.

“We don't want to be left behind. Our solutions must come from us, and we're talking about an AI that is Africa-led then it means that the apps must come from us, the solutions must come from us. We understand our communities…[and] the challenges that we face.

“And from a government communications perspective, especially because you are students and going into the future, you need to consider the fact that careers are not what they were two years ago. You need to be agile in terms of how you think about those opportunities to say that, okay, how can I integrate these new technologies to ensure that I stay ahead of the curve,” she said.

Geleba said the digital shift presents an opportunity for government communicators to transform.

“We can work faster, smarter, be more inclusive, and we can deliver information that is accurate. We can deliver it timely, and we can make an impact. But I think the goal is simple.

“We want to build high performance public service organisations that are able to harness data, that are able to use digital tools, and that are able to integrate AI. What we want to do is to serve society, but deliver real impact, and I think that as communicators, it is us who must lead the change,” she said at the session held at the university’s Pretoria campus. – SAnews.gov.za

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