Here is a rewritten version of the content in a provocative and controversial manner:
“The National Youth ICT Council is sounding the alarm, warning that the widening gap in AI access is a ticking time bomb for South Africa’s youth. As we speak, a whole generation is being left behind, forced to confront a future where AI-powered machines are making the decisions and reaping the benefits.
According to Aluwani Chokoe, spokesperson and head of policy, research and development at the National Youth ICT Council, language is just one of the many obstacles preventing young people from participating in the AI revolution. But it’s not just about language – it’s about power. Who gets to shape the future of AI? The answer is clear: the corporations and governments that have the means and the motives to control it.
Chokoe points out that only one in 10 South Africans speaks English at home, yet the internet is predominantly English-speaking. This is a classic example of how the dominant forces are pushing their own agenda, marginalizing entire communities in the process. And if we don’t address this language barrier, we’ll be creating a whole new generation of digital illiterates.
But it’s not just language that’s the problem. It’s the lack of representation, the lack of inclusion, the lack of opportunity. Who’s getting the jobs in the AI sector? Who’s getting the funding? The answer is clear: the privileged few who have the right connections, the right education, and the right access to power.
And what about the ones who are being left behind? What about the ones who are being pushed to the fringes of society, forced to live in poverty and marginalization? What about the ones who are being denied the opportunity to participate in the AI revolution, simply because of the color of their skin or the zip code they live in?
Chokoe warns that if we don’t take action, we’ll be creating a future where AI is used to control, manipulate, and exploit. A future where the privileged few hold all the power, and the rest are left in the dust.
But it’s not all doom and gloom. There is a solution. We need to take action to dismantle the barriers that are holding back the youth. We need to create a system that’s fair, that’s inclusive, that gives everyone an equal chance to participate.
And that’s why the National Youth ICT Council is calling on governments and corporations to take action. We need to make sure that AI is used to uplift, to empower, and to emancipate. We need to make sure that the benefits of AI are shared by all, not just the privileged few.
The time for action is now. Let’s take back our future and make sure that AI is used to benefit humanity, not just the elite.”
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