By Ryan Fortune
IF you grew up in the 1970s and 80s, you might remember the name Alvin Toffler. He was the author of a book titled Future Shock, the paperback of which could be found in many a book-loving household on the Cape Flats. One of the quotes from that book has always stayed with me: “The illiterate of the 21st Century will be those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.”
Today, as the world takes sure and steady steps towards Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), Toffler's warning rings louder than ever. Most people I know, however, seem totally oblivious, and I wonder why that is. Is it fear, willful ignorance, or just total blindness to the enormous threat and opportunity inherent in this new technology?
The prevailing narrative around Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of optimism. We are told that AI will democratise access to knowledge, automate mundane tasks, and usher in an era of unprecedented human potential. Tech evangelists paint a rosy picture of a world where AI serves humanity as an impartial tool, levelling playing fields and creating new opportunities for all. I believe this vision is as deceptive as it is alluring and that all the hype masks a harsher reality: AI is poised to deepen the divide between the literates and illiterates of the 21st century, creating a chasm so vast that it could become insurmountable.
The literacy of the 21st century is not merely the ability to read and write; it is the ability to navigate, interpret, and leverage complex digital systems. AI literacy requires understanding data, algorithms, and the implications of machine learning. For the digitally fluent, AI is a superpower, amplifying their productivity, creativity, and influence. For the digitally illiterate, it’s a black box that fosters dependency and exploitation.
Consider this: AI tools like ChatGPT, MidJourney, and AlphaFold empower users who understand their potential and limitations. A content creator armed with AI can produce high-quality material in hours if not minutes. A researcher can analyse datasets at speeds unimaginable a decade ago. But what about those who lack access to these tools or the skills to use them? They are left behind, just as those who couldn’t read were left behind in the age of print.
Proponents argue that AI will be accessible to all, but accessibility does not equate to empowerment. Having a smartphone doesn’t make one a coder, just as owning a library card doesn’t make one a scholar. AI tools often come with steep learning curves, not to mention the need for critical thinking skills to distinguish between genuine insights and algorithmic biases. The “accessible” AI landscape will favour those who are already equipped with the educational and financial resources to exploit it fully.
Some argue that governments and organisations can mitigate these disparities through education and training programmes. But how realistic is this? Public education systems are already overstretched and underfunded. Tech companies, driven by profit motives, have little incentive to invest in meaningful AI literacy programmes. Moreover, even if training programmes were universally implemented, they wouldn’t address the deeper systemic issues: unequal access to infrastructure, cultural barriers to adoption, and the concentration of AI development in the hands of a few elite corporations.
The consequences of this divide will be far-reaching. Socially, the digitally illiterate will become more dependent on those who wield AI, creating new power dynamics ripe for exploitation. Economically, entire communities will be excluded from the AI-driven job market, exacerbating income inequality. Culturally, we risk a homogenisation of perspectives as AI algorithms favour dominant languages and ideologies, further marginalising those who are already on the periphery.
The argument that AI will democratise access to knowledge and opportunity is not just naive; it is dangerous. It masks the growing gap between the AI-literate and the AI-illiterate, one that is fast creating a new class of digital outcasts. If we are to prevent this, we must act now. Governments, educators, and technologists must prioritise AI literacy, ensuring that it becomes as fundamental as reading and writing. Public access to AI tools must be accompanied by robust training programmes that empower users to engage critically with these technologies.
Are we going to heed Toffler’s warning and take the necessary action, or continue to remain deaf to it and allow the AI-driven digital divide to deepen into an abyss that defines the century?
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Ryan Fortune is an AI Implementation Consultant who helps businesses to use AI to streamline their processes. He is contactable via his website: https://payhip.com/ryanfortuneinc