When it comes to the workforce, AI is only half the story – the other half is human intelligence, skills, values, ethics and judgements.
That is the word from Pearl Pasi, president of the Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa (IITPSA). She points out that AI is here, and is making an impact in every organisation.
“But it is also unsettling. While it creates space to innovate, develop organisations and grow skills pipelines, many professionals are also asking themselves what it means for their careers.”
These questions deserve better than guesswork, Pasi says.
This is why the IITPSA conducted the first research study of its kind in South Africa, so we can stop guessing about our future, and start mapping it.
Kathy Gibson reports from the IITPSA Workforce Conference on the study, and how ICT professionals and employers can use it to guide their strategies.
How can SA plug the ICT skills gap?
While South Africa records the highest unemployment rate in the world, there is still a dire shortage of critical IT skills.
Presenting the IITPSA IT Skills Survey, Lehlohonolo Mokenela, MD of Africa Analysis, points out that the ICT skills gap is a global issue, creating a drag on the digital and AI economy.
The digital economy accounts for 15% of global GDP – equivalent ot $16-trillion. Digital capability is becoming a source of competitive advantage for economies, industries and businesses, Mokenela explains.
There are a number of game-changing technologies taking centre stage in the digital economy, and survey identified skills in these technologies as the most important. AI leads at 66%, followed by quantum computing at 22%, cybersecurity at 3%, robotics at 3%, 5G at 3% and Internet of Things at 3%.
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Build the skills to stay relevant in an AI world
With AI advancing rapidly and changing the nature of work, ICT professionals are finding it more difficult than ever to refresh their skills and keep themselves relevant.
Professor Helena Barnard, full professor at the Gordon Business Institute, explains that there are many different roles in the AI world, just as there are in other areas.
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The secret to thriving in the AI workplace
As AI changes the way businesses work, ICT professionals need to take control of their own destinies.
Amid the pressures and concerns that the new technologies are creating, there are also opportunities to upskill, adapt, and take advantage of entrepreneurship and remote work opportunities.
Antony Makins, group chief operations officer at TForge and Chair of the IITPSA Special Interest Group in AI and Robotics (SIGAIR), points out that the ICT professional’s career trajectory is changing.
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How is AI going to impact future jobs?
The fear that AI will lead to wholesale job losses is front and centre of the current debate.
But as AI comes of age, and organisations start implementing it into their workforces, we have an opportunity to reframe the debate, says Pragashani Reddy, chief commercial officer of Digital Solutions Group (DSG).
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These are the new skills employers want
With technology changing faster than ever, organisations can be conflicted about what ICT skills they should be employing.
AI is a relatively new entrant to the ICT skills gap lists, first being named in 2024 along with security. In 2026, we are seeing AI skills shortages filling a hiring category on its own.
Dinielia Pillay, Offerzen talent partner, says companies are asking for a range of job roles – but they mostly include AI skills.
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