MEDIA executive Trevor Ncube has called for ethics to be “central to what we do in the artificial intelligence (AI) age,” warning of the technology’s potential threats despite its revolutionary promise.
This critical conversation will take centre stage at the highly anticipated fourth edition of the In Conversation with Trevor (ICWT) Ideas Festival slated for October 28 to 31 at Troutbeck Hotel in Nyanga.
It will run under the theme: The Future of Human Capital, Innovation, and Ethics in the Age of AI.
Ncube, who is also the chairperson of Alpha Media Holdings — publisher of The Standard, Zimbabwe Independent, NewsDay, and proprietors of Heart and Soul – will host thought leaders to explore how humanity can harness innovation while safeguarding its values.
“There is understandable excitement about the revolutionary role of AI, but we are concerned about the erosion of old-fashioned values that have gotten humanity where we are today,” Ncube told Standardbusiness in an interview.
“We want to focus on how human capital can be trained to use AI and get into the new jobs that AI is creating.
“We believe ethics should be central to what we do in the AI age to blunt the threats that this new technology presents to jobs and humanity.”
The media expert explained that the event aims to turn ideas into practical strategies for economic and workforce development.
“Our ideas panels and speakers will be focusing on this theme, and we look forward to the outcome of the deliberations,” Ncube said.
“We fully embrace AI but also want to raise awareness about the potential risks from AI. We hope to emerge with an understanding of how to prepare the workplace for AI while future-proofing human capital.”
Panels and discussions will examine how AI can be responsibly integrated into the workplace, how education and skills development must evolve, and how businesses and policymakers can safeguard jobs while embracing new opportunities.
By placing ethics alongside innovation, the festival seeks to ensure that technological progression strengthens, rather than undermines, human potential.
As Zimbabwe positions itself to leverage AI for economic growth, the Ideas Festival promises to offer more than insights – to inspire actionable strategies.
“This is the fourth year of our ‘Davos’-inspired festival of ideas. We are excited that the idea of gathering to share ideas that can positively impact our country and region continues to gather momentum,” Ncube said.
“The increase in the number of companies wanting to be partners and more paying delegates confirms we are on the right track.”
Last year, the festival resolved to leverage key issues that included nation-building, business and entrepreneurship, funding for start-ups, political leadership development, and gender equality, among others.
“Continuous dialogue is essential to foster unity and restore Zimbabwean values, especially for the nation’s younger generations. Entrepreneurship was emphasised as vital to economic growth, with delegates receiving actionable insights to support start-ups and promote business success,” read part of the communiqué from the 2024 Ideas Festival.
“Delegates underscored the need for accessible funding for start-ups, urging local investors to reduce reliance on foreign resources. Key to the success of start-ups is an enabling legislative environment and changed attitudes from big business and government.”
It further stressed that preparing future political leaders with an ethics-based focus was highlighted as crucial to Zimbabwe’s progress.
The festival emphasised sustainable development practices to protect Zimbabwe’s natural resources, adding that while women’s achievements were celebrated, there was a call to dismantle societal barriers that limit women’s potential.