<\/p>\n
Corporations around the world are spending billions of dollars in a race to secure their place in the artificial intelligence (AI) economy.<\/p>\n
The stakes are high. Companies are under pressure to deliver returns for shareholders while ensuring they are not left behind by technological disruption.<\/p>\n
But according to Professor Klaus Schwab \u2013 founder of the World Economic Forum (WEF) \u2013 AI is only one part of a much broader technological transformation that is reshaping economies, societies and institutions at unprecedented speed.<\/p>\n
Read: Africa startups turn inward as US AI boom drains venture capital<\/p>\n
Schwab is emerging as an expert on the impact of AI on economies, societies and individuals.<\/p>\n
Intelligence meets wisdom<\/p>\n
A Google AI Overview tells us artificial intelligence is\u00a0about\u00a070 years old, with the term officially coined in\u00a01956.<\/p>\n
The foundational concepts however date\u00a0back to when mathematician Alan Turing proposed the famous \u2018Turing Test\u2019 to\u00a0evaluate machine intelligence. That was more than 75 years ago, in 1950.<\/p>\n
Klaus Schwab is\u00a088. He was born on 30 March 1938.<\/p>\n
He led the WEF for more than five decades before stepping down from executive leadership in 2025 \u2013 and\u00a0delivered a public lecture at the University of Johannesburg recently.<\/p>\n
New historical age<\/p>\n
Schwab says\u00a0humanity is entering a new historical age, which he calls the \u201cIntelligent Age\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is more than what is known as the Fourth Industrial Revolution. This Intelligent Age will fundamentally alter how people live, work, communicate and learn.\u201d<\/p>\n
He says the convergence of AI with other emerging technologies \u2013 including quantum computing, big data and robotics \u2013 is creating a transformation unlike any previous technological shift.<\/p>\n
Read: AI bubble debate gets real as chip stocks rally turns historic<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are witnessing more than a future driven by the technology of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. We see the dawn of a new era for human civilisation.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt goes beyond AI. Here are many technologies that will unleash potential for societies, such as the Internet of Things, 3D printing and quantum computing.<\/p>\n
\u201cAI should not be viewed in isolation.\u00a0The greatest benefits will come from integrating multiple technological advances,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to be ready for a world where we combine all of these together to get the greatest possible benefit to serve humanity.\u201d<\/p>\n
Beyond automation, beyond AI<\/p>\n
While the Fourth Industrial Revolution has become closely associated with AI and automation, Schwab argues that the scale of change now under way warrants a new description.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe are not speaking just about the Fourth Industrial Revolution; we are speaking about the transition of humankind into a new era,\u201d he says, noting a very important difference.<\/p>\n
\u201cPrevious societal transitions unfolded over generations, giving people time to adapt.\u201d<\/p>\n
The \u201cshift from agricultural societies to industrial economies took decades, while the move into the digital era occurred over several generations\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe current transition is unfolding far more rapidly. We have, perhaps, only 10 to 15 years to understand, adapt to and harness the opportunities created by AI and related technologies.<\/p>\n
At the same time, he says, we must manage the associated risks.<\/p>\n
We must prepare \u2018with all our forces\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cThe speed of this transformation is great, and we have to prepare with all our forces for this new type of intelligent age.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another difference is that AI is changing the world in a manner never seen before.<\/p>\n
\u201cPrevious industrial revolutions and technologies have replaced human physical labour with machines.<\/p>\n
\u201cAI is replacing our cognitive capabilities,\u201d says Schwab.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Industrial Age replaced our physical activities [with] the machine. What is the Intelligent Age doing? It is replacing our cognitive capabilities by algorithm, or by what we call artificial intelligence.\u201d<\/p>\n
Human identity<\/p>\n
Schwab argues that this particular change raises profound questions about human identity, ethics and leadership.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn order to master this new intelligent age, we have to remind ourselves much more what really creates a human being. What makes us human?\u201d<\/p>\n
Speaking at a university, and with his academic background, Schwab had a specific message. \u201cUniversities will be among the institutions most affected by the rise of AI.<\/p>\n
\u201cHigher education can no longer operate primarily as a mechanism for transferring knowledge because information is increasingly available through digital tools and AI systems, at no cost.<\/p>\n
\u201cInstead, universities must focus on equipping students with the capabilities needed to navigate constant change.\u201d<\/p>\n
Schwab argues that institutions of higher learning should prioritise adaptability, critical thinking, resilience and the ability to use emerging technologies effectively.<\/p>\n
How to compete with a machine?<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you want to succeed in the intelligent age, the key word is adaptability, but combined with adaptability is also resilience.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThe world is changing so fast today, and the world has become so interdisciplinary, so complex, that people don\u2019t really understand any more what\u2019s going on.\u201d<\/p>\n
Schwab advocates a shift in the role of a university from one of \u201clearning for life\u201d to \u201clifelong learning\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course you need training, you need an education, but it should be mainly an education in capabilities and not so much in knowledge,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
His comments come as universities globally are grappling with the implications of AI-powered tools that can generate essays, perform research tasks and provide instant access to information.<\/p>\n
The debate has intensified as institutions consider whether traditional educational models remain fit for purpose in an increasingly automated world.<\/p>\n
Schwab says universities must prepare students not for a single career, but for repeated cycles of reskilling and adaptation throughout their working lives, even calling for annual \u201ccertification\u201d.<\/p>\n
Central objective of progress?<\/p>\n
Despite his optimism about technology, Schwab emphasises that human well-being should remain the central objective of technological progress.<\/p>\n
He warns against allowing technological advances to create systems that prioritise efficiency while neglecting human values.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the new era, human well-being should be prioritised through robotics and AI,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the core of this transformation, there is commitment to ensuring that the benefits of technological advancement are equally shared to bridge the digital gap within societies.\u201d<\/p>\n
Schwab also highlights the potential benefits of AI in healthcare, particularly in improving access to medical services through telehealth technologies.<\/p>\n
Intelligent systems could help expand healthcare access to underserved communities and improve outcomes for people who currently struggle to access specialist medical expertise.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe future isn\u2019t [just] happening \u2026 government leaders are shaping the future. We want to move into a human-technological world to use all our technological potential.\u201d<\/p>\n
Read:\u00a0When governance becomes optional, systemic failure becomes inevitable<\/p>\n
At the same time, Schwab acknowledges that many people feel overwhelmed by the pace of technological change.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe feel we are not in control of what\u2019s happening,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we have to accept that we are living in a very fluid, in a very fast, exponentially changing world.\u201d<\/p>\n
Three priorities<\/p>\n
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Schwab outlined three priorities that governments should pursue as societies transition into the Intelligent Age.<\/p>\n
The first is ensuring that technology contributes to a more sustainable, resilient, humane and inclusive world.<\/p>\n
The second is helping citizens understand and participate in the transition.<\/p>\n
He said governments must actively engage populations in discussions about technological change because many people are anxious about the pace at which society is evolving.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople fear this fast speed of change which they have to digest.\u201d<\/p>\n
The third priority is the development of ethical frameworks to govern AI and other advanced technologies.<\/p>\n
Listen\/read:
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OpenAI floats idea of global AI governance body with US, China<\/p>\n
As AI systems become more powerful and influential, clear safeguards will be needed to prevent misuse and ensure these technologies are deployed responsibly.<\/p>\n
Schwab says ethical considerations will become increasingly important as AI assumes a greater role in decision-making across society.<\/p>\n
Collaboration to \u2018create an even better world\u2019<\/p>\n
The challenge, he adds, is to ensure that technological advancement strengthens humanity rather than diminishing it.<\/p>\n
We don\u2019t want to move into \u201ca cold bureaucracy\u201d or a \u201ctechnocracy\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to move towards what I would call a humanocracy, a world where we use technology to use all our human potential and to create an even better world,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
As businesses, governments and educational institutions race to adapt to AI, Schwab\u2019s message is that the challenge extends far beyond technology itself.<\/p>\n
The emergence of the Intelligent Age, he argues, is not simply about machines becoming more capable.<\/p>\n
It is about redefining what it means to be human in a world where cognitive tasks can increasingly be performed by algorithms, and ensuring that technological progress remains aligned with human values.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe see the dawn of a new era for human civilisation.\u201d<\/p>\n
He warns against the current status of the AI world that mostly benefits the elite.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf intelligence were to become a utility billed on a meter, then the intelligent age would only benefit the elite and those who could afford it.\u201d<\/p>\n
#Intelligent #life #redefined #leave #humans<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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