‘Those who evolve and adapt will survive’ – Sam George on AI and jobs

The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, says workers who do not keep up with new technology risk losing their jobs as artificial intelligence (AI) changes the way people work.

He said workers must learn new skills and adapt to changes if they want to remain useful in their jobs as more workplaces start using new technologies.

Speaking on JoyNews during the Digital Economy Forum on AI and the Ghana Economy on Wednesday, October 21, Mr George said new technology had changed jobs in the past. These changes had forced workers to learn new skills to keep their jobs.

“Those who evolve and adapt will survive. Those who fail to evolve and adapt will fall off. It's the hard reality of artificial intelligence,” he said.

To explain his point, the Minister talked about an aunt who worked as a Grade Three stenographer in the public service when he was young.

He explained that she used a manual typewriter before electronic typewriters and computers slowly changed the way office work was done.

He said workers who used traditional typewriters had to learn how to use computers and software, including Microsoft Office, as workplaces began using newer technology.

Mr George said his aunt could have lost her job if she had not learned the skills needed to use the new technology.

“If she did not learn with Mavis Beacon, as most people did at that time, how to use the Microsoft Office suite, she would have lost her job because by 2000 you didn't have any typewriters sitting in the public service,” he said.

He used this example to show why people must keep learning and adapting as artificial intelligence becomes more common in workplaces and businesses.

The Minister’s comments add to the growing debate about how AI may affect jobs. Workers and businesses are under pressure to develop new skills as technology changes how work is done.

He added that, just as with earlier changes in technology, workers will need to adapt to deal with the changes artificial intelligence brings to the workplace.