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A humanoid robot with a friendly digital face sits on a couch holding a bowl of popcorn, next to a golden retriever and a person wrapped in a beige blanket holding a mug. The three share a warm, cosy living‑room setting with soft lighting, plants, and framed pictures in the background.

ANALYSIS: To be or not to be, that is the AI question

As artificial intelligence (AI) heavyweights concede the technology may one day develop consciousness, academics warn that humans are already treating bots as sentient beings – a trend that is not only scientifically inaccurate but potentially dangerous.

Celeste Labuschagne, a lecturer at Belgium Campus iTVersity and a PhD candidate, points out that Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei recently said the company cannot fully rule out the possibility that advanced AI systems could possess some form of consciousness in the future.

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Two people in hooded sweatshirts work in a dimly lit room filled with computer equipment. One sits at a desk typing on a keyboard while looking at a monitor displaying code and facial‑recognition data. The other stands beside them holding a tablet. Cables and a drink are visible on the desk, creating a scene suggestive of cybersecurity or hacking activity.

Banks and fin­an­cial ser­vices fear AI hack­ers but the real threat is stranger

The banking sector is right to be worried about AI-powered cyberattacks – AI can now find vulnerabilities, breach systems, and move through networks at a speed that keeps security teams up at night. But that’s only part of what we should be concerned about.

More troubling, and less discussed outside IT, is what happens when these systems operate autonomously and together. AI is no longer just following instructions; it is increasingly exploring data, social networks and news to shape its own interactions.

The big shift is that AI has shown its ability to act like it has intentions and can make its own decisions.

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A group of eight people stand in front of a blue SAICTA-branded backdrop, each holding a framed certificate. One person in the front centre also holds a trophy. They are dressed in smart or formal attire and are posing together for a celebratory photo, suggesting they have received awards or recognition.

South Africa’s ICT trailblazers honoured at inaugural SAICTA awards gala

The ICT sector’s brightest stars, pioneering innovators, and influential leaders were honoured at the South African ICT Association’s (SAICTA’s) inaugural ICT Excellence Awards Gala Dinner.

Held at the Johannesburg Country Club in Auckland Park, the evening recognised excellence, innovation, leadership and professional contribution within the South African ICT sector. The Awards, which were not just a reflection of recognition, are the start of a new phase in SAICTA’s evolution.

“These Awards are about building a culture in which ICT professionals, startups, women in tech and young trailblazers are seen, valued and encouraged to continue making a meaningful contribution to our country in the digital future,” SAICTA CEO Dr Jannie Zaaiman says.

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A digital illustration showing a hooded figure with multicoloured code patterns symbolising a cyber threat, alongside icons for email and Microsoft Exchange, with a large red digital “0” on the right representing cybersecurity risk or vulnerability.

Active Microsoft Exchange zero-day leaves organisations exposed

Artificial intelligence has rapidly emerged as a pervasive technology that those entering the workplace need to have an understanding of. Increasingly, organisations are prioritising the use of AI-powered solutions and platforms, and their employees must now have AI skills to match.

This has resulted in the South African government making AI skills development a local imperative, but what about the country’s focus of coding, robotics, and 4IR-related skills that were the prioritised for the past decade?

This is the question posed by Celeste Labuschagne, a PhD candidate and Lecturer and Learning Framework Developer at Belgium Campus iTversity.

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A clean, modern classroom with rows of wooden desks and black chairs facing a large whiteboard. A ceiling‑mounted projector hangs above the centre of the room, and large windows on the right let in natural light. A clock and a small podium are positioned at the front, and a wooden door is on the left wall.

Why South Africa needs an AI policy for schools

Artificial intelligence has rapidly emerged as a pervasive technology that those entering the workplace need to have an understanding of. Increasingly, organisations are prioritising the use of AI-powered solutions and platforms, and their employees must now have AI skills to match.

This has resulted in the South African government making AI skills development a local imperative, but what about the country’s focus of coding, robotics, and 4IR-related skills that were the prioritised for the past decade?

This is the question posed by Celeste Labuschagne, a PhD candidate and Lecturer and Learning Framework Developer at Belgium Campus iTversity.

Read More »
A person wearing a dark blue pinstripe suit jacket and a light blue collared shirt poses against a plain grey background in a formal portrait.

AI prompting is the new critical thinking

Rather than outsourcing thinking to AI, students must be taught to interrogate ideas, test assumptions and refine their own reasoning.

The problem with AI in education may not be the technology itself – it may be that students are using it incorrectly, treating it not as a tool, but as a solution. And because educators tend to see it as a threat, they aren’t taking students along a learning path that enables them to use GenAI as an enabler rather than a cheating tool.

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Robot hand holding two credit cards in a data center with server racks in the background.

ANALYSIS: Big Tech sets AI to catch AI

As hackers use artificial intelligence (AI) to bypasses security – including one of the largest government breaches on record – companies like Anthropic and OpenAI are holding back tools they see as now being defence systems.

Cyber security firm Gambit recently said it had analysed the attack path behind what it says is one of the largest government breaches on record: the compromise of Mexico’s tax authority and at least eight other organisations.

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