Bridging the Society-Artificial Intelligence Gap through Holistic Digital Transformation
Baduza G. 1, Penxa L. 2, Ramafi P. 3
1 Rhodes University, South Africa
2 University of the Western Cape, South Africa
3 University of Witwatersrand, South Africa Ukraine
A widening gap exists between artificial intelligence’s (AI) rapid advancement and society’s capacity to govern and benefit equitably from these technologies. AI adoption is treated as technical implementation rather than comprehensive socio-technical transformation, creating dangerous misalignments between technological capabilities and societal readiness. This chapter examines the multifaceted relationship between digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and societal change, analysing how technological advancement reshapes social institutions, governance structures, and human relationships. Through qualitative documentary research and comparative case study analysis across healthcare, finance, education, and public services, the chapter explores both the enabling potential and adverse consequences of AI-driven transformation. The analysis reveals that while AI acts as a catalyst for innovation in healthcare diagnostics, precision agriculture, circular economy practices, and educational personalization, it simultaneously introduces critical challenges including labour displacement, wealth inequality, algorithmic bias, and threats to human agency. Drawing on Vial’s Building Blocks of Digital Transformation framework, four key themes emerge: foundational integration infrastructure, equitable value distribution, trustworthy organizational practices, and societal impact priority. The chapter demonstrates that successful AI integration requires moving beyond purely technological metrics toward human-centred approaches that prioritize transparency, trust, fairness, and environmental sustainability.
digital transformation, artificial intelligence, society 5.0, human-centred technology.
APA
Baduza, G., Penxa, L., & Ramafi, P. (2026). Bridging the society-artificial intelligence gap through holistic digital transformation. In Y. B. Melnyk & M. A. Segooa (Eds.), Artificial Intelligence in Digital Society, Vol. 1. (pp. 42–54). KRPOCH. https://doi.org/10.26697/aids.2026.3
Harvard
Baduza, G., Penxa, L., & Ramafi, P. "Bridging the society-artificial intelligence gap through holistic digital transformation. In Y. B. Melnyk & M. A. Segooa (Eds.)". Artificial Intelligence in Digital Society, Vol. 1. [online] pp. 11-26. viewed 10 March 2026, https://culturehealth.org/hogokz_knigi/Arhiv_DOI/aids/aids.2026.3.pdf Vancouver
Baduza G., Penxa L., & Ramafi P.Bridging the society-artificial intelligence gap through holistic digital transformation. In Y. B. Melnyk & M. A. Segooa (Eds.). Artificial Intelligence in Digital Society, Vol. 1. [Internet]. [cited 10 March 2026]; 11-26. Available from: https://doi.org/10.26697/aids.2026.3 https://culturehealth.org/hogokz_knigi/Arhiv_DOI/aids/aids.2026.3.pdf
Baduza Gugulethu – https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4092-6521; PhD, Dr, Senior Lecturer, Rhodes University, Makhanda, South Africa.
Penxa Lungile – https://orcid.org/0009-0006-2576-5474; PhD, Dr, Lecturer, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa..