SHAWN HAGEDORN: Why May's vote could be our last legitimate ...
In a decade the airline has taken 60% of the market, while SAA needed R16.5bn to stay afloat. Justice minister also orders reopening of inquest into death of civic leader Booi Mantyi. President addresses representatives from local firms at ANC fundraising event. Group says it will listen to offers from suitors and later in May it will present a new strategy. Business Day TV speaks to RMB economist Siobhan Redford. Host Evan Pickworth interviews Thabang Hleza, the head of investments at Masisizane. The world’s largest maker of hearing aids expects its sales to grow by 6%-9%. Bafana Bafana play two crucial 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Nigeria and Zimbabwe in June. Experiences of rehab are as different as the residents who take part, though some may be far more harmful than helpful. True or false: “The truth will set you free”? Elon Musk has been saying artificial intelligence (AI) will lead to more truthful media. Yet May’s vote could be our last legitimate election.
AI Chatbots Impact on Research and Bias
When ChatGPT and its competitors arrived, heralding much disruption, it became comically obvious that large learning models (LLMs) were biased. This reflects their databases being trained on left-leaning media and university output. Now, however, researchers in fields with heavy social justice themes, such as development economics, can’t help but notice the rapid improvement in LLM searches. Whereas just a few months ago, responses to queries exploring differences among demographic groups would trumpet diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) biases, they have subsequently been tamed.
A development economist wanting to explore urbanisation’s influence on living standards might compare the productivity differences between the world’s two mega-populated countries. I asked ChatGPT: “Are Indian workers more efficient than Chinese workers?” The response criticised generalisations about Indian and Chinese workers before listing considerations that influence worker productivity — while excluding urbanisation. As China is more urbanised and has higher wages than India, I asked if urbanisation is also a key consideration for explaining worker productivity. By confirming that it is, the AI chatbot demonstrated its increasing accommodativeness. They are becoming tremendously powerful research tools — that can simultaneously help improve awareness of cultural differences.
AI chatbots are still heavily biased and mistake-prone, yet the pace of progress is astounding. Conversely, rather than delivering a prudently curated knowledge base while provoking sufficient discernment to develop a well-informed worldview, many universities had become increasingly ideologically indulgent. Now, however, that has also begun to change. An effort over many decades to undermine Western culture, constitutional protections and capitalism appears to have suddenly peaked.
The Shift in Academic Approach
Earlier in May, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a first-tier university at the centre of AI development, announced it was ending the use of diversity statements for faculty hiring. This follows a wave of elite US universities reinstating standardised tests among their student admission criteria. Of course, leaders of countries, companies and communities should encourage diversity and inclusion. Conversely, equity resembles a scam — and it is. Using generative AI to understand why was extremely frustrating, until quite recently.
