Cape Town: South Africa has called on the Group of Twenty (G20) members to support initiatives that develop Artificial Intelligence (AI) in low-resource languages and share data and tools to make this possible. Addressing the Meeting of the G20 Digital Economy Working Group Task Force on AI, Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Solly Malatsi, highlighted the linguistic inequity in AI systems, emphasizing the need for AI to cater to more than just the predominant languages such as English.
According to South African Government News Agency, Malatsi pointed out that AI’s effectiveness is heavily dependent on the data and algorithms it utilizes, which currently have significant linguistic and cultural diversity gaps. He stated that this inequity poses a threat of excluding billions from the AI-driven digital economy. The Minister stressed the importance of viewing AI not just as a technological tool, but from the perspective of its social impact, particularly in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals across various sectors like healthcare, education, agriculture, and governance.
Malatsi further warned about the systemic harms caused by biased AI algorithms, citing examples in hiring, lending, and policing. He urged G20 nations to share best practices on AI governance to ensure safety and trustworthiness. South Africa’s G20 Presidency has prioritized inclusion and equity in its digital agenda, focusing on bridging the digital divide, building inclusive digital infrastructure, nurturing local innovation ecosystems, and advocating for ethical AI that respects linguistic and cultural diversity.
The Minister also highlighted the stark reality of digital inequality, with the International Telecommunication Union reporting that around 2.9 billion people still lack internet access. He identified economic, educational, and linguistic barriers as the primary obstacles, underscoring the socio-economic benefits of closing the digital divide.
According to the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA), integrating the offline population into the internet could potentially add $3.5 trillion to the global economy by 2030, with the majority of benefits aiding developing countries. Malatsi proposed that G20 members collaborate on strategies to support digital innovation, including supporting start-ups and small enterprises, simplifying regulations, and considering an innovation fund for digital entrepreneurship in underserved regions.
The Minister concluded by emphasizing the importance of a truly global digital economy that fosters innovation across all regions, allowing ideas from Africa, Asia, or Latin America to thrive. – SAnews.gov.za