BUSINESS NEWS - Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing South Africa’s employment landscape, with employers increasingly seeking candidates who can use the technology effectively and responsibly. 

At the same time, AI is lowering the cost of services that were once beyond the reach of smaller businesses, enabling graduates to launch their own ventures and compete with larger, better-resourced companies.

Leon Smalberger, Chief Executive Officer of the Academic Institute of Excellence (AIE), says higher education institutions must prepare students to combine practical AI skills with the creativity, professional judgement and problem-solving abilities needed to succeed in the modern workplace.

Job advertisements are increasingly listing AI proficiency as a desirable skill or, in some cases, a requirement, even for positions not directly related to technology. 

Graduates who understand how to apply AI within their chosen professions could therefore be better positioned to respond to changing employer expectations and identify new entrepreneurial opportunities.

AI is also making it possible for small businesses to access services they may previously have been unable to afford.

For example, a small manufacturer might need visual training material to explain how equipment should be operated but lack the budget for bespoke animation. A design graduate could use AI to help produce the material more efficiently, while still applying human creativity and judgement to ensure complex procedures are communicated clearly.

Similarly, AI-assisted coding could enable a developer to create an affordable, customised tracking system for a repair workshop that still relies on paperwork and WhatsApp to manage equipment and customer approvals. The developer would, however, remain responsible for testing the software and ensuring it is practical and easy for staff to use.

“We’re already seeing fresh graduates launch one-person businesses and use AI to handle essential tasks that would previously have required several employees or outside specialists,” says Smalberger.

“This allows them to build a functioning business with minimal resources, establish a steady income and bring in their first employees when revenue can sustain them.”

Human judgement remains essential

While AI can improve efficiency and reduce costs, using it incorrectly can expose businesses to financial and reputational risks.

A single inaccurate AI-generated response or so-called hallucination could derail a product launch, trigger costly accounting errors or damage customer relationships, warns Smalberger.

He believes students must learn to scrutinise and challenge AI-generated outputs while they are still studying, rather than discovering the technology’s limitations after entering the workplace.

Professional knowledge enables graduates to identify errors, understand why they occurred and provide the feedback needed to improve results. Students should therefore learn to assess AI-generated work critically, refine their prompts and systems, and recognise when human intervention is necessary.

“Training must also equip students to judge how much human intervention and oversight different tasks demand, while actively sharpening the creativity and professional judgement needed to make those decisions,” says Smalberger.

AIE’s Higher Certificate in Information Technology in Artificial Intelligence and Bachelor of Information Technology in Data Science are examples of qualifications that incorporate technical foundations, practical analysis, machine learning and data science ethics to prepare students for the demands of the modern workplace.

Preparing for an AI-driven economy

The influence of AI is likely to extend across industries, including professions not traditionally associated with digital technology. Tradespeople such as plumbers and electricians, as well as hairdressers, groundskeepers and live performers, may increasingly need to adapt to AI-enabled tools and changing business practices to remain competitive.

For students choosing where to study, Smalberger says it is important to consider whether an institution integrates emerging technologies into its training while continuing to develop the professional expertise employers and customers expect.

Graduates who can combine AI proficiency with sound judgement, creativity and practical industry knowledge will be better equipped to adapt to changing workplace demands, pursue entrepreneurial opportunities and build sustainable careers.

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