Will AI take your job — or create one for you?

Despite the emergence of new technologies and training programmes surrounding artificial intelligence (AI), youth unemployment in South Africa still sits at more than 45%.

So, will AI create more jobs in the future? Or will it lead to a skills gap that worsens the job crisis?

There is a high demand for professionals with specific expertise, but there is a gap between traditional academic curricula and the practical skills required in the workplace. This is made worse for those who stay in historically disadvantaged communities, who face greater challenges with internet access and the digital divide.

The disparity

Microsoft SA recently surpassed its aim of training one million South Africans through AI programs. These programmes were designed to upskill young people in technological efficiency and bridge the unemployment gap.

Tiara Pathon, national skills director at Microsoft SA and an affiliate of other organisations focused on skills development, said Microsoft was dedicated to alleviating unemployment through emerging technologies and to overcoming the digital divide through partnerships with larger organisations.

Their programmes and resources allow those who are unemployed to receive the training and certification needed to apply for jobs in the emerging technological market.

However, the scope of the training skillset is often limited to positions offered by non-profit organisations, which tend to offer lower pay rates compared with the range of opportunities available in the competitive corporate market.

The future of work in AI

AI is still seen by those in many industries as something new and uncertain. For others, it is something to fear.

Daniel Orelowitz, the managing director at Training Force, suggested that the future of work will be characterised by adaptation, as AI integrates into the 21st century.

The advantages of AI training can include automating manual processes to improve efficiency. AI in the workplace may be used to improve job efficiency, depending on company policies.

According to Orelowitz, the world of AI ”will replace certain jobs just as anything in the world, which will then make space for new jobs”.

This is evident in DVD stores in the early 2000s compared with streaming platforms available in 2026, such as Netflix. These industries have changed as manual tasks have become automated and eventually phased out. However, these emerging technologies have also created more job opportunities that require humans to complete tasks.

To keep up with AI, Orelowitz suggests that the education system be reworked to reflect the rapid changes in AI and related technologies.

“I think keeping abreast with technology changes is a big challenge to education because education then can’t just be a book, theory-run scenario, because it changes too quickly…and that is why there is this mismatch.”

This can be seen as a double-edged sword, leaving many wondering what the future of work will look like in South Africa.

He believes there is an opportunity with AI, despite fears and the technology’s daunting nature.

“When people understand things, they fear them less.”