A new era of inclusive development

AS THE Global South embraces Artificial Intelligence (AI), it is essential to review whether old lessons countries have benefited from previous technological revolutions.

- PROF. ARTHUR M.G. MUTAMBARA

More importantly, why and how will AI's impact be any different?

What is new under the sun?

The First Industrial Revolution (1760 to 1870) utilised water and steam power to mechanise production.

The Second Industrial Revolution (1870 to 1965) used electric power to facilitate mass production.

The Third Industrial Revolution (1965 to 2011), commonly referred to as the digital revolution, employed electronics and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to automate production.

The AI-driven Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), which began in 2011 and continues to the present, is born from the digital revolution.

Most countries in the Global South did not industrially benefit from the initial three industrial revolutions. The period from 1650 to 1865 was marked by slavery, and from 1884 to 1994, colonialism dominated many of these least industrialised economies.

Moreover, neocolonialism and imperialism have persisted in these regions even during the so-called post-colonial period. Essentially, inhabitants of these countries have been mere objects and victims through the earlier industrial epochs.

However, the AI-driven 4IR presents an unprecedented and unique opportunity for the Global South to exert its influence, assume agency, actively participate, and leverage technology to achieve inclusive development and shared prosperity. What is the classification here?

This classification refers to a socio-economic and geopolitical context that comprises least industrialised countries.

The Global South is also known as the developing world or as a grouping of developing countries. The Global South broadly comprises Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia (excluding Israel, Japan, and South Korea) and Oceania (excluding Australia and New Zealand).