This event is an opportunity for students to gain an understanding of the importance and implications of these new technologies and how they might impact on their careers. It also aims to highlight and promote the 2024 KAS-SAIIA Scholarship to prospective scholars and youth interested in pursuing careers in the fields of international relations, politics, law, and development studies.
In recent months, there has been a great debate on the rise and use of AI technologies with the launch of applications such as ChatGPT and other AI-driven natural language processing tools. Although it is already very advanced, AI is not yet capable of performing tasks to the extent where it can replace humans altogether, but in the performance of certain tasks it is starting to match or even better those abilities. AI technologies are also rapidly improving and could make many jobs in the future obsolete as automation evolves and increases. Some companies may even prefer this development which could reduce their work force and labour costs. Tools like ChatGPT could be integrated into real-world applications such as digital marketing, online content creation, answering customer service queries and even help to debug code.
The continuously evolving nature of AI technologies therefore raises critical discussion on the future of the work environment, especially for graduates in the humanities. While it may seem at first glance that future career paths might better align with disciplines centred around technology and the development of algorithms, human decision-making and judgment capabilities are things that AI cannot do away with. Now more than ever, AI needs the skills of the humanities to deal with the many complex ethical and moral questions it raises. The humanities also become increasingly important in this discussion when it comes to guiding government and policymakers on the inclusion of AI in society.
PLEASE NOTE:
This event will be held in-person at SAIIA’s offices at Wits University and will also be streamed online.