Author: Rennie Naidoo, Professor of Information Systems, University of the Witwatersrand

Generative artificial intelligence (AI), and especially large language models deployed as chatbots and digital assistants, are now part of everyday digital life. These models are being framed as a helpful assistant, a patient tutor, a customer service agent and even a source of emotional support. But what happens when even more human encounters are mediated […]

Protesters blocking roads in Johannesburg, demanding a reliable water supply. Photo: Silver Sibiya GroundUp, CC BY-NC-ND African cities are growing at an incredible pace. With this growth comes a mix of opportunity and challenge. How do we build cities that are not only smart but also fair, inclusive and resilient? A smart city uses digital […]

Digital technologies can make mining more sustainable. Sunshine Seeds/Shutterstock/For editorial use only If you visit a commercial mining operation anywhere in the world today, some sights and sounds – workers descending in elevators to underground shafts, the roar of truck engines – will be much the same as they have been for decades. But, like […]