Artificial intelligence: the upside of robotics
Could the spread of AI hold opportunities for countries like SA that are thought to be rich in emotional intelligence?
Reports of a looming jobs bloodbath have done the reputation of artificial intelligence (AI) technology no favours.A 2016 study by Citi and the Oxford Martin School at the University of Oxford, for instance, fanned apprehension because the researchers found that two-thirds of jobs in SA were at risk of being automated.But some in the industry are more sanguine about the technology’s possible effect on the country’s fragile labour market. They argue that AI is an opportunity for countries that have a high emotional intelligence quotient (EQ).Ryan Falkenberg, co-CEO of Somerset West-based AI firm Clevva, says SA can use the technology to build a sizeable call centre industry."[At present,] call centre agents need to learn fairly complex information to answer customer queries. The expertise that is needed prevents many willing people from being selected for these positions, as they struggle to attain the required financial or technical knowledge," says Falkenberg, whose company provi...
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