I stopped watching sitcoms in favor of mainstream U.S. news channels on television recently and will perhaps be forced to continue this habit until the U.S. elections are over. We expect election dramas in emerging democracies but to see a circus (for lack of a better word) in the world’s number one economy has been unexpected and disappointing. I am not qualified to comment on the politics and choices made by the citizens of any country, but I do believe that America is not being represented by its best, Democrat or Republican. What, however, is worrying are the consequences of the choices people make in the U.S. at the end of this year and its impact on global geopolitics. I will be equally surprised if either Donald Trump or Joe Biden will make a speech in the Senate to match Rishi Sunak’s speech as the leader of the opposition in the British parliament.



Closer home, an outcome that we were anxiously awaiting was the result of the South African elections. There were no surprises for anyone including members of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) as despite some being in denial, the writing has been on the wall for a long time. The long-awaited change from a single party (ANC) rule has finally arrived. It’s a new dawn for South African politics and an inevitable pathway to a multi-party democracy.


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="alignleft size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="754" height="1024" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/21-September-2023-Wahi-6-of-6-754x1024.png" alt="" class="wp-image-61671" style="width:296px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/21-September-2023-Wahi-6-of-6-754x1024.png 754w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/21-September-2023-Wahi-6-of-6-221x300.png 221w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/21-September-2023-Wahi-6-of-6-768x1043.png 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/21-September-2023-Wahi-6-of-6-1131x1536.png 1131w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/21-September-2023-Wahi-6-of-6-1508x2048.png 1508w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 754px) 100vw, 754px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Dr Rakesh Wahi (Photo: Yeshiel Panchia)</figcaption></figure></div>


I have been speaking about this outcome since I first raised it at an event in Stellenbosch in Cape Town, South Africa, in early 2008. I had drawn a parallel to the maturing democracy in India. The conversations ended with an agreement to disagree. Over the last three elections, I continued alerting my friends about this and gradually over the last decade, I could see that people had come to align with my point of view but through their own analysis.



I would like to recap my Publisher’s Note in the December 2021/January 2022 issue of FORBES AFRICA.



I quote: “The only area that will perhaps follow the time-tested path of slow transformation is our political system, particularly in South Africa. There was general disbelief that a political system like the ANC could ever be unseated. The Congress in India was almost annihilated in the 2019 elections when the party failed to secure 10% in parliament. It took 72 years of dynasty politics for the party to be completely routed through implosion. Although India is a complex country and much larger, the two countries (South Africa and India) share a similar history of struggle and consequent freedom.



“For a country to be a true democracy it must have multiple parties to provide checks and balances. The political landscape in India changed to a few national parties and strong state-level parties; an important factor today are the alliances and coalitions in states that provide a national consensus for the ruling party in parliament. After the Congress party lost national consensus in 1977 (30 years after India’s independence from British rule), there was a long era of coalition governments, the most successful of which was the Bharatiya Janata Party-led alliance from 1999 to 2004. Sadly, the Congress is today the sinking ship of Indian politics. There is no better lesson in political history than this to learn from.



“The ANC has had a run for 27 years, but the recent municipal elections have shown that the party is gradually losing its shine. The reasons are self-explanatory, and the proverbial writing is on the wall. The cracks have formed, and the implosion is slowly but surely progressing. The people of South Africa are not happy with the governance of the state and will continue to voice their dissatisfaction through the ballot. There is a lot of confusion in people’s minds about loyalty to the past or embracing what is right. The lower voter turnout evidences the fact that people would rather not vote against the ANC and give their leaders a chance to correct the course for progress. In the meantime, the era of coalitions has arrived and so has the emergence of new political parties that will provide the governance needed to take this great nation forward. The new political parties are all led by former members of the ANC who have chosen to move away from the status quo and bring accountability to the existing government. Some of these parties have outstanding leaders who have the potential to provide leadership to the country in the not-so-distant future. The worst mistake any leader can make is revel in past glory, live in denial and become complacent about the future”. Unquote.



It took the Indian National Congress 30 years to lose majority in parliament; it has coincidentally taken the ANC exactly 30 years to lose its majority in parliament. Post the election and after having accepted the verdict of the people of South Africa, the ANC has embarked on a mission to form the national government and the provincial government in the state of Gauteng. The Government of National Unity (GNU) has started putting together a framework for how the country will be managed over the next five years. There are far too many ideological differences between the various parties forming the GNU. My own view is that after the honeymoon period, if there is one, the disagreements will start and issues around policy frameworks, governance and personal agendas will eventually bring these coalitions down, leading to caretaker governments, re-elections, and a prolonged period of uncertainty.



Where to from here?



What South Africa needs now is a stable bureaucracy, functional state enterprises (particularly power, ports, airports, railroads and infrastructure) and a committed private sector. The bureaucracy in South Africa has not been allowed to develop and a lot of senior administrators are political appointees or nominees. A lot could have been forgiven in 1994 as the historic imbalance caused a skills deficit within the Black population. The blame now, however, must be taken by the ANC for not building a strong and resilient administrative service. This gap will be compounded in the coming decades. The bureaucracy will be required to provide continuity and consistency particularly in the absence of a stable government.&nbsp; I see this as a major impediment in the coming years.



The private sector, however, has remained very resilient in South Africa and to my mind, will see the country through the next decade. The business community has a strong foundation particularly banking, insurance, financial services, mining, manufacturing, communications, IT, tourism, agriculture, retail, and a lot of other core sectors. The infrastructure in the country is well-established and the power situation seems to have turned the corner. The banking sector will need to be a lot more proactive with business and ensure that funding is not constrained. There are a lot of questions right now but irrespective of what lies ahead, one must go long on South Africa as the fundamentals of the country are very strong and the people are extremely good. The potential of the people needs to be harnessed through a well-integrated and technologically-advanced education sector.



Meeting capacity-building goals and improving unemployment statistics, particularly youth unemployment, is currently a major problem in the continent and needs to be dealt with expeditiously. A decade back, I started a thought leadership summit on the future of education in Africa. We started this dialogue as we had identified education as an area that needed immediate attention from governments. There are many challenges facing the sector that include, but are not limited to, funding requirements, student loans, quality, access to education, governance, research, innovation, technology, teacher training, skills mismatch and politics.



Funding currently remains the most significant gap in the education ecosystem. There are various reports on the funding requirements in Africa. It is projected by UNESCO that countries must spend 4% to 6% of their GDP on education. Most countries in Africa do not meet this basic goal. Looking at the demand-supply gap, there are over 9 million classrooms and over 9.5 million teachers needed in Africa by 2050. This requires an annual investment of over $40 billion. In addition, there is a need for billions of dollars of investments in technology and digital transformation. Where will this money come from?



During the African Development Bank (AfDB) meetings in Nairobi, Kenya, in May this year, there were many sessions on capacity-building and the role of the private sector in education. The number one impediment to the development of the sector is the shortage of funding and wherever it is available, it is short-term capital at high commercial rates of interest. As an example, lending rates in Ghana are between 26% to 30% a year and these rates are not sustainable for any business, let alone education. The cost of borrowing cannot be passed on to students, who in the absence of a framework for student loans, are already finding it difficult to pay school and college fees. The education sector requires long-term investments with realistic expectations on short-term returns. Governments cannot support the entire education value chain and without funding, the private sector will never be able to participate and play its role in a meaningful manner. This is a complex issue and needs to be addressed as capacity-building impacts all sectors. The gestation period is long for education projects and therefore, governments and the African Union must create a policy framework to catalyze the sector. If this is not addressed urgently, unemployment will continue to rise, especially given the rapid population growth on the continent.



In the words of former U.S President Franklin D. Roosevelt, “No country, however rich, can afford the waste of its human resources. Demoralization caused by vast unemployment is our greatest extravagance. Morally, it is the greatest menace to our social order”.

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Artificial intelligence (AI) has made significant strides in all areas of our lives. AI can now monitor patients, safeguard buildings, improve manufacturing processes and write poetry. These are good uses of AI. There are, however, bad uses and characteristics of AI.



For example, AI can discriminate against digital minorities such as people of African descent or ethnic minorities. It can be weaponized with devastating consequences for peace and security. Given that AI is both good and bad, what should be done? We must ensure that AI is used to maximize the good and minimize bad uses. Various strategies have been deployed to maximize the good uses of AI. Furthermore, multiple techniques have been deployed to reduce the bad uses of AI. For example, ensuring that data for training AI systems is representative can minimize algorithmic bias and discrimination.



However, fixing defective algorithms is much easier than improving a flawed human being who intends to use AI negatively. For example, it is far more challenging to change a human being that discriminates against ethnic minorities than to fix an AI machine that discriminates against ethnic minorities. To improve the AI machine, we must apply the best practices of handling data, designing algorithms, and using AI technology, which requires good human behavior.



In AI, discussions of its development, deployment and regulation frequently focus on technological and ethical concerns. However, this discussion’s significant and underexplored aspect parallels human behavior and AI governance. These two generate a complex confluence that considerably impacts how AI technologies are conceived and deployed and how they are regulated. As AI permeates every aspect of our lives, understanding and leveraging this confluence of AI and human behavior is advantageous and is also required for developing AI systems that are both effective and fair. 



Humans are at the heart of AI development, and their decisions, prejudices, and actions affect AI systems.Behavioral science, which studies human behavior   via    psychological, cognitive, and emotional lenses, provides essential insights into how developers and designers should approach the building of AI. It highlights the cognitive biases that can influence algorithm design and the ethical blind spots resulting from prioritizing technical efficiency over social consequences.



Incorporating human behavior into AI governance requires identifying and addressing these human issues. It entails developing frameworks enabling developers to reflect on the potential biases they bring to the design process and cultivating a culture that values ethical considerations and societal wellbeing over technical innovation.



End-user behavior must also be considered when governing AI. Behavioral science provides a lens through which to investigate how people engage with AI systems, such as responding to recommendations, making decisions based on AI-generated data, and building trust in AI technologies. These findings are critical for developing AI systems that are not only user- friendly but also promote beneficial behavioral outcomes, such as improving decision-making processes and preventing the reinforcement of negative biases.



Furthermore, behavioral science can inform public education campaigns on AI, enabling users to be more critical and educated in their interactions with AI systems. Governance frameworks based on behavioral science can raise an understanding of AI’s possible biases and limits, allowing people to interact ethically and effectively with AI.



The link between human behavior and AI governance is dynamic. As AI technologies advance, so will the societal norms and behaviors that shape and are shaped by them. Governance frameworks must be adaptive and ready to respond to new insights from behavioral science into human-AI interaction and the societal repercussions of AI breakthroughs.



This adaptability necessitates a participatory and inclusive governance strategy involving AI developers, users, behavioral scientists, ethicists, policy-makers, and other stakeholders in ongoing discourse. This strategy can help to keep governance frameworks current and thriving in the face of rapid technological development and shifting human behaviors.



Education is critical to guaranteeing the ethical governance of AI since it provides developers and consumers with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate the complicated moral environment of AI technology. Technologists can gain a thorough awareness of the ethical consequences of their work by participating in comprehensive educational programs that integrate ethics, data privacy, and societal effects into the core curriculum of computer science and AI courses. 



Education can help people understand AI technologies, promoting informed and critical engagement with AI systems. By incorporating ethical considerations into all stakeholders’ education in creating and using AI, we can foster a culture of responsibility and accountability. This strategy teaches individuals to foresee and address ethical difficulties and promotes the advancement of AI systems that emphasize human values and social wellbeing. As we set the road for the future of AI, let us not underestimate the value of understanding human behavior in guiding us toward more responsible and beneficial AI governance

AI (Artificial Intelligence) concept. Electronic circuit. Communication network.

The Dynamic Link Between Human Behavior And AI Governance

By Gary Martin 



It came with a snazzy new title, a salary rise big enough to starve off the impact of the spiraling cost of living, a corner office to die for and the promise of an engaging and supportive work environment.



Yet just one month into your new job, you realize you have been sold a pup as you come down with a bad case of “shift shock”. You desperately want to boomerang back to your old job but fear you might have slammed the office door shut a little too hard when walking out on your former employer.



As employees continue to jump from one job to the next to try to jag better pay and working conditions, more and more workers are discovering that the grass is not always greener on the other side.



Shift shock, also known as ‘quitter’s remorse’ or ‘new job regret’, is washing over those who have switched jobs only to find their new position is not living up to their expectations.



There is little doubt that plenty of workers are happy in their new jobs.



Yet for others, the grass on the other side is less green. Some job hoppers have discovered that the grass they have strayed onto is fake lawn. Despite assurances to the contrary, flexible work arrangements are rigid, the work environment frenetic rather than relaxed and open doors to managers are slammed shut.



Others have worked out that their fresh patch of lawn is exactly the same color as the old one. Their new role comes complete with the same feelings of dismay, disengagement, disappointment and disaffection that accompanied their old gig. Perhaps worse, some job switchers fast realize their new lawn requires even more water to maintain as their old patch – a metaphor for a new job that is even more demanding than the old one.



And many will be only too familiar with a scenario in which their new lawn starts out lush and well-manicured before slowly turning brown.



Under these circumstances, the rot sets in as they are drip-fed the harsh realities of a workplace culture beset by harassment, bullying and gossip. Those who job-hop can quickly find themselves sinking in quicksand rather than strolling across a patch of thriving, perfect-looking lawn.



No matter the depth of your due diligence or the length of an interview process, it will remain a gamble.



You will be spinning the roulette wheel on things like whether the new job makes adequate use of your existing skills, offers the development opportunities you have been seeking and provides the longer-term career path you had been hoping for.



While a little shift shock is to be expected until you find your feet in a new role, experts suggest the majority of those suffering from quitter’s remorse will last less than three months with a new employer.



For those who accept a new job only to find it is a poor personal fit or an oversold opportunity, three choices remain. You can stay with your new job and remain disillusioned indefinitely, look for another more suitable job or try to boomerang back to your former boss.



Boomeranging to an old position is increasingly attractive for those suffering from shift shock. This assumes, of course, they left their former employer on good terms and their old job or a similar role is available.



While asking for an old job back might be ego-bruising for some, capable former employees have little to fear.



Many former employees find themselves welcomed back with open arms. Some are even able to negotiate better employment conditions.



Employers acknowledge that where vacancies do exist, hiring a boomerang worker can save recruitment and on boarding costs because most former returning employees can hit the ground running.



There is a message in all of this for those workers contemplating a switch in jobs.



If there is something in your current role that you would like to change or improve, consider discussing it with your employer first before you exit the office door. It is a whole lot simpler than making a move and then hoping for a second chance when opportunities elsewhere do not turn out as planned.



So if you are thinking of jumping the fence to find a new and greener patch of grass, try watering the side you are on first before making the move.



– The writer is Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Institute of Management WA

Tag: OpEd

FORBES AFRICA SOCIAL MEDIA

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The Dynamic Link Between Human Behavior And AI Governance

Op-Ed: Shift Shock Pushes Workers Back To Their Old Jobs