South
Africa’s Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Solly Malatsi, has called for
greater efforts to prevent a global divide in artificial intelligence (AI)
adoption and access. Speaking at a GSMA-chaired
roundtable during the ZTE
Corporation Global Summit & User Congress, the Minister
joined leading telecom and AI industry executives to discuss the future of
digital inclusion and responsible innovation.
The
discussions focused on two critical themes — preventing a global AI divide
through affordable infrastructure, compute power, and energy access, and
addressing potential AI-driven job
losses through responsible innovation.
Minister
Malatsi highlighted South Africa’s proactive approach in driving digital
affordability by removing luxury taxes on entry-level, low-cost smart devices.
He emphasized that smartphones are no longer a luxury but essential tools in today’s global
digital economy, enabling access to education, commerce, and essential
services.
The
Minister’s remarks align with South Africa’s broader digital transformation
agenda, which seeks to expand connectivity, promote equitable access to
technology, and ensure that the benefits of AI and digital innovation reach all
citizens.
By:
Kanto Kai Okanta
