TV sets thrown out in fear of AI, but benefits on the way too

Influenced by a fear of innovation and artificial intelligence, some South Africans have dumped their television sets… writes Godfrey Sigwela.

They did this after hearing that the SABC will no longer be using the analogue broadcasting system. Unfortunately, some consumers did not understand the innovation jargon announced by the SABC.

It appears that some people have a real fear of innovation and artificial intelligence (AI), particular that AI is not only about ideas but includes the human mind infused in machinery in order to create a robotic human machine.

Science fiction script writers are good at producing human robotic creatures that come from space and invade Planet Earth. And some of the fears people are having are as a result of watching these science fiction movies.

However, there are good example of the application of innovation and artificial intelligence. For instance, this can be seen at the Netcare Group Hospital where robotic assisted surgery is being used. It is the latest technology from the da Vinci Xi technologies.

Pieter Louw, general manager at Netcare Pretoria East Hospital, says that this robotic system is the first of its kind to be installed in the private sector in the country.

Patients from the Eastern Cape, some of whom have been scared of AI and thrown out their TV sets, will also benefit from this new robotic surgical technology.

Louw says that the list of their hospitals include Netcare Christiaan Barnard Hospital in Cape Town and Netcare Greenacres Hospital in Gqeberha.

By Godfrey Sigwela