South Africa needs a collaborative and coordinated AI skills strategy

South Africa has the potential to harness the power of AI to positively transform the economy and society.

The global shift driven by AI is affecting industries and altering how businesses function, promising to add an estimated $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030.

However, this opportunity comes with an urgent imperative.

The country risks missing out on this growth, with Africa projected to capture only 5.6% of this total, if we fail to act with intention and address persistent inequalities.

Delaying action in embracing AI trends is perilous.

While AI has the potential to catalyse economic growth and create new skilled employment opportunities in areas like AI development and data science, we face a pivotal challenge of ensuring the workforce is ready to adapt.

Advanced technologies are reshaping employment dynamics dramatically, creating approximately 170 million new jobs globally while displacing 85 million existing roles. 

To participate positively in shaping this future, South Africa must launch an AI skills revolution built on genuine collaboration between the public and private sectors.

The skills gap and policy lag

An appropriately educated and gainfully skilled workforce is essential for the success of any tech hub.

Yet, the scarcity of skilled professionals proficient in AI and related fields is a pivotal factor contributing to the disconnect between AI project initiation and large-scale implementation.

To strengthen workforce resilience, we must prioritise education through an inclusive lens and empower the next generation with digital skills so they can thrive. Unemployed adults should not be excluded from this opportunity, as targeted initiatives can transition them into high-demand digital roles.

The history of South Africa’s technology boom reflects a complex interplay between government efforts and private sector dynamism, but policy alignment continues to hobble efforts toward an integrated approach.

While the government has undertaken AI initiatives, establishing the Presidential Commission on the Fourth Industrial Revolution (PC4IR) and the National AI Institute of South Africa (AIISA), a significant gap remains due to the absence of a comprehensive policy position on AI governance. 

This uncertain regulatory environment creates an atmosphere of uncertainty, which inhibits substantial investment and dampens the enthusiasm for scaling initial pilot projects.

Realising AI’s full potential requires a deliberate and collaborative approach that strategically brings together the strengths of the public and private sectors. 

South Africa’s technological trajectory requires the convergence of public- and private-sector efforts. It is important that we move beyond forums and meetings, where tangible efforts toward creating an equitable environment are often not consistently evident.

It is time for key institutional bodies including Seta, QCTO, industry leaders, and training providers to align their efforts and focus on producing specific, scalable outcomes.

The establishment of national AI labs and sandboxes is crucial for fostering innovation and responsible deployment.

Building on the foundation provided by the AIISA, a collaboration between government agencies like the Department of Communication and Digital Technologies and academic institutions such as the University of Johannesburg and Tshwane University of Technology, we must expand this framework.

These labs should serve as dedicated environments for universities, startups, and policymakers to collaborate on ethical AI frameworks tailored to Africa's unique linguistic and socioeconomic contexts.

Furthermore, adopting regulatory sandboxes as permanent policy labs will enable the safe testing and refinement of innovative AI applications in controlled environments, facilitating smart regulation to navigate ethical complexities and attract investment.

To ensure workforce readiness, educational offerings must align with current market requirements.

This necessitates collaboration between educational institutions and the private sector. We must implement modular accreditation, streamlining processes and frequently updating curricula to integrate critical digital competencies like programming and data analysis. Innovative certification mechanisms, such as blockchain-based and micro-credentials, can provide secure, internationally recognised, and easily verifiable proof of competencies.

Industry leaders should also co-develop and endorse certification programs, as exemplified by companies like Microsoft funding tens of thousands of AI certifications.

These industry-recognised credentials incentivise learners and add significant value in the job market.

Finally, targeted training for the current workforce is essential. Short learning programs, leveraging innovative models like the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Skills Center, which offers free cloud computing training for unemployed adults, are vital for business professionals requiring continuous upskilling to maintain competitiveness.

Incentivising SME digital readiness

SMEs are the lifeblood of global economies and are poised to be engines of job creation. However, SMEs lag significantly behind larger firms in adopting key digital technologies like cloud computing and AI, and this gap is widening.

To unlock inclusive prosperity and empower these smaller enterprises, the government must provide specific support to overcome the high costs and lack of awareness that hinder digital adoption.

Targeted financial incentives, such as tax credits or subsidies, must be offered explicitly to companies that implement robust digital training and employee upskilling programs. These measures will enable SMEs to catch up in the rapidly digitising global economy.

Digital transformation, like solving an intricate puzzle, demands multiple workstreams and collaboration. The decisions made today will determine whether the digital age empowers all communities or deepens existing divides.

While government initiatives and targeted research efforts exist through institutions like the AIISA, there is an urgent need for increased financial support and the encouragement of both public- and private-sector investment in AI projects. Moreover, the government must clearly set out an AI policy that enshrines democratic governance and promotes inclusion.

Only a coordinated effort, where educational bodies, regulatory institutions, industry leaders, and training providers synchronise their strategies, can effectively scale learning and drive real impact.

We must seize this moment not with hesitation, but with ambition, ensuring the AI future we build is inclusive by design, sustainable in impact, and just in its foundations.

Rowen Pillai, CEO of LeanTechnovations. 

BUSINESS REPORT