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More AI-enabling breakthroughs were made in the period 2021–2024 than in the preceding 70 years. Since AI’s proliferation in 2022, global productivity growth has nearly quadrupled in industries most exposed to AI. Like electricity in the 20th century, AI has the potential to create more jobs than it displaces if it is used to pioneer new forms of economic activity. Our research suggests that AI has the potential to boost global economic output by up to 15 percentage points over the next decade through innovation-driven growth.
The number of job postings in South Africa requiring AI-related skills increased by 26% in 2023 and a further 8% in 2024. Last year, 17,000 out of 845,000 (2%) job advertisements required applicants to have AI-related skills. Education, ICT, agriculture, and professional and scientific jobs have the highest share of sector-specific job postings setting AI-related skills requirements. Furthermore, occupations exposed to GenAI are also seeing faster growth compared to jobs where AI skills are not required. From 2021 to 2024, vacancies for jobs that are more exposed to AI increased by 32% compared to only 14% for less-exposed jobs.
Business and administration professionals, administrative and commercial managers, teaching professionals, customer services clerks, chief executives, senior officials and legislators have the highest AI exposure in their jobs, while cleaners and helpers, food preparation assistants, building and related trades workers, labourers, and machine operators have the lowest AI exposure.
South Africa's potential benefit from AI will most probably be smaller than the global average due to high levels of social inequality. The economy must make use of AI in a way that does not benefit just a small number of workers in the formal economy. It needs a labour force which is both educated in, as well as open to, the benefits of, AI across diverse occupations. This will require AI upskilling en masse.
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Aside from deciding on what AI-related skills are important, organisations are also rethinking how they develop talent. Our approach is persona-based skills building: a method that leverages data-driven learner personas to deliver tailored, high-impact learning experiences. The approach uses representative learner profiles to align training with the unique needs, motivations, and capabilities of different employee segments.
We can help business leaders identify skills gaps and mismatches, build a future-proof skills strategy, develop and implement upskilling, and evaluate their return on investment. The upskilling and learning approach cover five viewpoints: 1) assessing the training needs; 2) analysing the dimensions of change; 3) designing the best fit-for-purpose training strategy; 4) creation of an operational level training plan, and 5) measurement of success.
In this edition:
Are we on the brink of the fourth industrial revolution?
AI skills will accelerate worker productivity and increase economic growth
AI accelerates all aspects of a business: from insights and decision-making to capacity building and organisational development. Companies that embrace speed and encourage employees to operate flexibly will be the first to reap the benefits.
Key content in this report includes:
- Potential impact of AI on future global economic growth and productivity.
- Education, ICT and agriculture have the biggest share of their vacancies requiring AI skills.
- Strong growth momentum in GenAI-exposed occupations in South Africa.
- Industry focus: Impact of AI on manufacturing jobs.
- Curriculum planning: Persona-based upskilling to provide workers with the right set of AI-related skills.
- The other 98%: Mass AI upskilling, or risk leaving many people behind.
- How we can help with AI upskilling.
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Contact us
PwC Africa ESG Platform Leader, Strategy& and Chief Economist, Strategy& South Africa
Tel: +27 (0) 82 708 2330
