“We are privileged to be living at the intersection between hard science and hard engineering, with almost unlimited capital being directed at bright young minds to go out and do things through global collaboration,” Justin Coetzee, founder and CEO of GoMetro in Cape Town, said at the most recent LeadUP: Alumni Thought Leadership virtual event. “With cloud computing, machine learning and artificial intelligence including powers you can only imagine, technology is giving us opportunity as never before, and with it comes enormous scale and unintended consequences.”

Hosted by Professor Wynand Steyn, Head of UP’s Civil Engineering Department, the discussion included UP’s Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Tawana Kupe, and a panel of engineering alumni from different parts of the world weighing in on the topic ‘4IR: Bracing for (and thriving) in the midst of disruption and innovation.’ While Prof Steyn opened the discussion with the comment that disruptions have been with us since the dawn of time, and Prof Kupe added that they are not going to stop any time soon, they agreed that this “major acceleration” that is upon us is something new.

“What used to be an adoption curve of 30 years, then became 20, then 10, 5… and the other day I heard of a company that started in 2019 that just sold for $850m (R12,2bn); we’re accomplishing in 18 months today what used to take decades to build,” Coetzee added. “The question is, are we being disrupted by the scale of waves that we’ve created through incremental innovations that are increasing in frequency?” Some of these unintended consequences, for example, include technology increasingly being used as a geo-political weapon. “If self-driving cars are imported from one country to another, and these two countries then have a dispute, would they switch off the artificial intelligence that powers the motor vehicle? And so, are we on top of a beast, a giant, a whale, a monster, or are we just riding the biggest wave of our life? And I’m not fully convinced we’re in control of this ride.”

Panellists Nicol Verheem, Founder of Teradek, and Dr Bridget Ssamula, Senior Director: Major Pursuits for AECOM, both currently based in Los Angeles, also turned quickly to this idea of responsibility. Verheem said that he used to be a disrupter, but is now an innovator, with the difference being that he takes a larger view, trying to make sure that whatever change is made leaves the world a better place. Dr Ssamula commented that with the African continent being very malleable to technology, and it solving problems quickly, there is a need to train up the large number of entrepreneurs on the continent, so that technology is used in a way that is responsible.

“Legislation just cannot keep up with the changes, so as engineers it’s up to us to bake in the protections that are necessary, to make sure that innovation is applied for good,” Verheem said.

“The ethics side of things needs to be emphasised with engineering students right from the beginning,” Dr Ssamula added.

Prof Steyn probed the panel as to what skills a traditional university like UP should focus on to prepare graduates for the future workplace. Dr Ssamula said universities should instil an understanding in students that they are problem-solvers, and need to solve new problems, while Verheem spoke of the ability to learn and to adapt. Coetzee added: “On the back of all this learning that needs to take place, I would say there needs to be a focus on how to read and consume a large volume of information and then make a quick, good decision based on what you’ve read.”

When asked what “ideal overnight disrupter” the panel would appreciate, Dr Ssamula suggested a decision-making tool that solves the issue described by Coetzee. Verheem suggested a neural implant connected to a computer. “I think the transfer of information and knowledge will really benefit from my ability to just tap right into your brain, and tell you every thought or vision I have.” Coetzee brought things back to the human level, saying he’d like to see half of all decision-makers being women, as well as people in these key positions being trained engineers, accountants, or qualified implementers.

And who would they like to stand on their shoulders in 25 years’ time? Coetzee envisions alumni of his business building their own thriving African businesses, listed on an African stock exchange, and having secured funding in their own right. Dr Ssamula said the future belongs to young dreamers who need to know that, with a certain level of education, you can cut across country barriers and really help solve the world’s problems. Verheem, whose company is focused on the film industry, believes that by turning every person into a storyteller, mankind’s understanding of each other will radically change.

Prof Steyn rounded off the discussion with the pertinent reminder that, for every 100 people in our 7.9 billion global population, almost nine are hungry, eight are unemployed, 10 are illiterate, and 26 are affected by fragility or conflict of some kind. “With this in mind, we need to target our future disruptions and innovations to ensure a meaningful life for all humanity.”

You can watch the full discussion here