CIOopinion
OPINION
“
THE ASSOCIATED
DATA ANALYSIS
BROUGHT ABOUT BY 4IR
TECHNOLOGIES RESULT IN
FARMERS BEING BETTER
ABLE TO USE THEIR LAND
AND WATER AND DO MORE
WITH LESS.
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Ian Jansen van Rensburg, Senior Systems Engineer at VMware Africa
Tech drives 4IR
awareness in Africa
African countries are
increasingly looking for
innovative ways to harness
the benefits of technology
in their daily operations.
Ian Jansen van Rensburg,
Senior Systems Engineer at
VMware Africa, explains how
the next generation and new
technologies will present
new opportunities for
economic growth.
The Fourth Industrial Revolution
(4IR) has supplanted Digital
Transformation as the hot button
conversation starter in boardrooms the
world over. This is especially the case
in Africa where countries across the
continent are looking for increasingly
innovative ways to harness the benefits
of technology in their daily operations.
One of the reasons for this is its sizeable
youth demographic. Research shows
that 60% of the continent’s 1.25
billion people are under 25, making it
the youngest population in the world.
Furthermore, it is anticipated that by
2050, one third of global youth will be in
Sub-Sahara Africa.
This generation brings with them a
knowledge and passion for harnessing
all aspects of the digital era especially
through their mobile devices. This focus
on mobility, when coupled with new
technologies such as Artificial Intelligence
(AI), Machine Learning (ML), and the
Internet of Things (IoT), present new
opportunities for economic growth and
the means to overcome many of the
societal issues facing Africans.
Beyond challenges
4IR is not dependant on legacy
infrastructure to flourish. We have
already seen how mobile connectivity has
empowered Africans in all aspects of their
lives. It creates job opportunities through
entrepreneurship and contributes to a
culture of working from wherever there
is a connection. Granted, the cost and
reliability of access will remain a concern
but mobile operators are starting to make
data more affordable in some countries.
The advantage of going beyond
traditional infrastructure is that the
continent can leapfrog other, more
developed markets. This sees it embracing
future innovation without needing to
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