2024: The Pivotal Year For AI’s Promise And Peril

In 2024, the relentless march of artificial intelligence (AI) into every facet of life reached new heights, solidifying its role as a transformative force across industries. From the dominance of large language models redefining how humans and machines interact to breakthroughs in generative AI driving innovation, the year epitomized both the infinite potential and the complex challenges of this technology.

Businesses, governments, and individuals alike embraced AI to unlock efficiencies, accelerate decision-making, and deliver personalized experiences at scale. Yet, as adoption soared, the technology’s shadow loomed larger. Concerns over bias, copyright infringement, and ethical dilemmas took centre stage, forcing stakeholders to confront hard questions about the sustainability and governance of AI. Public discourse also gravitated toward fears of “doomerism”, a term capturing fears about AI surpassing human control, fuelling calls for tighter regulation and transparent oversight.

2024 wasn’t just a year of innovation; it was a litmus test for society’s ability to harness AI responsibly. We picked a few quotes on the emerging technology to highlight the concerns around this emerging technology.

We need governments urgently to work with tech companies on risk management frameworks for current AI development, and on monitoring and mitigating future harms. And we need a systematic effort to increase access to AI so that developing economies can benefit from its enormous potential. We need to bridge the digital divide instead of deepening it – António Guterres, UN Secretary-General.

AI is a very significant opportunity – if used in a responsible way. I am a tech optimist and, as a medical doctor by training, I know that AI is already revolutionizing healthcare. That’s good. AI can boost productivity at unprecedented speed. First movers will be rewarded, and the global race is already on without any question. Our future competitiveness depends on AI adoption in our daily businesses, and Europe must up its game and show the way to responsible use of AI – Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission.

The runaway development of AI without guard rails poses an existential threat and has the potential to increase inequality in the world. We need the full engagement of the private sector in the UN’s multi-stakeholder effort to develop a governance model that is networked and adaptive, tapping the benefits of this incredible new technology while mitigating its risks – António Guterres, UN Secretary-General.

I think it’s good that we and others are being held to a high standard. We can draw on lessons from the past about how technology has been made to be safe and how different stakeholders have handled negotiations about what safe means. We have our own nervousness, but we believe that we can manage through it, and the only way to do that is to put the technology in the hands of people. Let society and the technology co-evolve, and sort of step-by-step with a very tight feedback loop and course correction, build these systems that deliver tremendous value while meeting safety requirements – Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI.

AI is one of the most profound things we’re working on as humanity. It’s more profound than fire or electricity. We have to ensure that AI is harnessed for good and that it benefits everyone – Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet Inc.

The future of AI is not about man versus machine, but rather man with machine. AI will augment human capabilities and help us achieve more than we ever thought possible. Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft

AI has the potential to be a great equalizer, but it also has the potential to exacerbate inequalities if not developed and deployed responsibly. We must prioritize human-centred AI that serves all of humanity – Fei-Fei Li, Co-Director of the Stanford Human-Centred AI Institute.

The future of AI lies in its ability to augment human intelligence, not replace it. We must focus on creating AI systems that enhance human capabilities and work alongside us – Ginni Rometty, Former Executive Chairman of IBM.

There remains this idea in some places that AI is evil. People still do not know if AI is secure and if their data is safe. We need to improve digital literacy and train more people in AI to overcome these challenges – Mehdi Sayegh, Co-founder of AI Connect Africa.

Africa needs an AI-ready workforce to compete. With our youthful population, we have the opportunity to develop AI expertise locally and compete internationally. AI can help solve systemic issues in healthcare, education, and infrastructure – Abubakar Suleiman, CEO of Sterling Bank.

People are key to confidence in AI. Effective AI implementation has to be with people at the centre of AI governance systems to alleviate the trust and confidence in AI for critical sectors – Carmine Di Sibio, EY Global Chairman and CEO.

Generative AI has the potential to change the world in ways that we can’t even imagine. It has the power to create new ideas, products, and services that will make our lives easier, more productive, and more creative. It also has the potential to solve some of the world’s biggest problems, such as climate change, poverty, and disease – Bill Gates, Microsoft Founder.

If you want to do a job that’s kinda like a hobby, you can do a job. But otherwise, AI and the robots will provide any goods and services that you want – Elon Musk, Telsa CEO.

If you define AGI (artificial general intelligence) as smarter than the smartest human, I think it’s probably next year, within two years – Elon Musk, Telsa CEO.

The stuff that we’re seeing now is very exciting and wonderful, but I think it’s worth always putting it in context of this technology that, at least for the next five or ten years, will be on a very steep improvement curve. These are the stupidest the models will ever be. Coding is probably the single area from a productivity gain we’re most excited about today – Sam Altman, CEO, OpenAI

Artificial Intelligence is more than just using natural language as an input; it can also see, hear, and understand our intentions as well as our environment. I wish to give you an idea of what can happen when the outside world serves as your prompt and interface. That is the result of combining AI and mixed reality – Satya Nadella, Chairman & CEO, Microsoft

To truly realize the promise of AI, businesses must not only adopt it but also operationalize it. This process involves connecting AI models with observable actions, leveraging data subsequently fed back into the system to complete the feedback loop – Jeff Schumacher, CEO of NAX Group

The future of AI in Africa is bright. We must focus on building AI solutions that address local problems and create economic opportunities for our communities. John Kamara, Founder of Adanian Labs

AI offers a unique opportunity for Africa to leapfrog traditional development paths. By investing in AI education and infrastructure, we can create solutions that address our continent’s specific challenges and drive sustainable growth – Paula Ingabire, Minister of ICT and Innovation, Rwanda