DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY
TIM COHEN: Digital automation may put 40% of African jobs at risk. Or not
The fourth industrial revolution has powerful resonance now. It is beginning to enter not only into public consciousness but public life — and people are beginning to get hurt
Is it really true that 40% of all jobs in Africa are vulnerable to being digitalised out of existence? The topic is becoming something of a perennial subject at the World Economic Forum (WEF) and was very much alive at the African offshoot that took place in Durban last week. Lots of speakers mentioned this number and others. The issue is neatly encapsulated in the phrase "the fourth industrial revolution", popularised by WEF founder Klaus Schwab and repeated ad nauseam by speakers at the event. The forum loves these big, global, complex issues that affect everyone because they form a basis for interaction and a common agenda. In this case, they have really hit the jackpot because the idea is all-encompassing, vital and ties into political trends, economic debates and incorporates visceral public fears that edge towards cultish doomsday scenarios in which machines take over the world. The theory goes like this: The first industrial revolution took place in the 18th to 19th centuries...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.