Johannesburg: Artificial intelligence (AI) must be used to expand opportunities for women beyond newsrooms, universities, and technology companies, particularly for women in rural communities who often face barriers to accessing information, skills, and digital opportunities. This was the call from Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) Chief Director: Products and Platforms, Zanele Mngadi, during the third annual Women in Media and Communications Panel Discussion hosted in partnership by the GCIS and Tshwane University of Technology (TUT).
According to South African Government News Agency, the discussion was held during Women's Month under the theme 'Coded for Equality: Women, AI and the New Media Landscape', bringing together government, academia, media, and industry representatives to examine women's representation and influence as artificial intelligence increasingly shapes the way information is created, distributed, and consumed. Mngadi emphasized that the conversation around AI should extend beyond its impact on women's careers to consider how the technology could be used to improve the lives of women who remain underserved by the digital economy.
Mngadi posed pivotal questions about utilizing AI to make information more accessible to women in rural areas, in their own languages, and through platforms they can access. She highlighted the importance of connecting women to information about healthcare, education, agricultural support, business opportunities, government services, or protection from gender-based violence. Mngadi asserted that technology becomes meaningful when it ensures that the voices and experiences of women, including those in rural areas, are represented in the information environment.
The event's keynote speaker, Gauteng Film Commission CEO Tumi Lebaka, urged women to look beyond simply securing a place in the technology and media sectors. Lebaka argued that meaningful transformation requires women to have influence over resources, decisions, and intellectual property. She cautioned that existing inequalities could be perpetuated through new technologies if women were not involved in shaping AI.
Lebaka stressed the need for women to move beyond being mere users of AI and become developers, researchers, policymakers, regulators, entrepreneurs, investors, and owners. She drew parallels between the historic struggle for representation in media and the emerging need for women to enter what she described as the 'algorithm room', emphasizing that algorithms increasingly influence what content people see and even perceptions of beauty, leadership, and success.
The panel discussion also examined the skills women need to participate meaningfully in the changing media and technology landscape. TUT Multimedia Journalism Lecturer, Online Editor, and Researcher Sholain Govender-Bateman advocated for introducing coding to students from the first year, including those studying humanities, to ensure journalists have the technical understanding to use AI tools effectively in a South African context.
Mngadi noted that the responsibility to ensure women benefit from technological advances extends to the government, with initiatives like SA Connect expanding broadband connectivity and community Wi-Fi, particularly in underserved communities. She also highlighted the growing threat posed by AI-generated misinformation and disinformation, emphasizing the importance of credibility and public trust.
The event formed part of a broader GCIS-TUT partnership aimed at preparing young professionals for a rapidly changing communications environment. Mngadi concluded that the success of this transformation should be measured by whether women's growing participation in technology and media translates into meaningful improvements in the lives of women beyond professional spaces.