South African Cultural Observatory

Café AI Report

BY 27.03.24

The South African Cultural Observatory and the Fak’ugesi African Digital Innovation, in partnership with GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH) and the Department of Sport, Arts & Culture hosted a dialogue and workshop at the Tshimologong Precinct on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its impact on the creative industries on 13 March 2024.

The workshop was a hybrid event to help facilitate dialogue and the writing process of a SACO-commissioned paper titled, “Artificial Intelligence: A rushed Revolution or the holy grail of a creative future?” It was widely received, with 310 streaming in via SodaWorld.tv, 434 via YouTube and ~ 160 in-person attendees. Some topics covered include:

  • Tacking copyright, IP, ownership & mitigating against bias in the AI era
  • How AI impacts creative work and daily creative production
  • Jobs displacement, skills development, and keeping pace with AI.
  • How can we turn a disadvantage into an advantage: Local value made global; IP protected?
  • Policy discussion: Why policy matters right now – envisaging the future.

The event was the first national AI dialogue in the creative sector, and given its success, a discussion that many have been waiting for.

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