#Reflection: A brave new world in progress Don't be afraid... Be brave!

For thousands of years, early humans would flee at the sight of fire. Then one day, someone had an idea how to spark and tame fire, and use it. This would have been a huge leap for humankind back then.

Over the millennia that followed, humankind learnt to understand this fire thing, until today we use it to travel from one place to another [cars, aeroplanes, space rockets are all moved by controlled fire!]. This does not mean fire is less dangerous; in fact guns and bombs are all forms of fire used to kill.

AI is as dangerous as fire, or another form of controlled heat energy that we call electricity.

Humankind will harness AI for good and bad; that is just the way we are. If we run away from AI because it is dangerous, we will be like ancient man, who ran for dear life at the sight of fire!

At the #UnstoppableAfrica event in New York a few weeks ago, I made a bold prediction which I don’t mind repeating: Within 10 years, the richest people in Africa will not be the Dangotes, Motsepes and Masiyiwas. They will be a completely new generation of billionaires who will all make their money through AI.

It’s already happening in America. People like Jensen Huang and Sam Altman were mostly unheard of three years ago [outside of tech circles]. Their companies, NVIDIA and OpenAI, are now more valuable than any natural resource company and they are growing quickly.

It’s the same in China. Companies like DeepSeek and Manus are minting billionaires who are already seen as more powerful than the likes of Jack Ma. [Time will tell!]

The older generation of billionaires know this and they are quickly pivoting into AI-driven business models. Some of the smartest of these old guys are Larry Ellison of Oracle, as well as Elon Musk and the amazing guys at places like Google and Microsoft. To name just a few.

You have not yet heard of the AI-preneurs who are going to be the richest in Africa, but I know they are already working to build AI-driven businesses whilst some are just getting started. I believe I have even met some of them, including some of you who follow this platform!

I won’t mention them now, because it might distract them [or you]. But here is my point: It’s not too late for you to join them if you aren't already busy #Imagining, #Innovating, and/or #Building.

These guys will not be so-called “tenderpreneurs” chasing after government procurement. They will make more money than those guys could ever dream about. And I believe most will use the power of AI for the good of humanity, creating amazing breakthroughs in business, education, health, agriculture, and sectors we haven't even thought of yet.

So chill and get your head down. Start learning and coding! [In my Facebook Afterthoughts I shared a lot of training resources compliments of ... recommendations from Gemini and ChatGPT. Tell me what YOU suggest.

Now is not the time to be afraid.

Be brave!

"AI is probably the most important thing humanity has ever worked on. I think of it as something more profound than electricity or fire". - Sundar Pichai

Image credit: KWB - Ubuntu Hope via AI.