AI and the future of work in Africa

Dumisani Moyo Marketing Director at SAP Africa

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer an abstract concept confined to research labs or speculative headlines. It is reshaping industries, redefining professions, and creating new career pathways that were unimaginable a generation ago.

Conversations about “what I want to be one day” are no longer limited to familiar paths like teaching, medicine, or law. For today’s young people, the careers they will one day pursue may not even exist yet, as entire industries continue to emerge around AI and other disruptive technologies.

While traditional professions such as medicine, law, and accounting will remain important, they are already being transformed by automation and digital augmentation. In Africa, the impact is particularly significant: the question is whether AI will drive inclusive growth or deepen inequality.

The inevitability of disruption

AI is already automating routine tasks and lowering barriers to participation in the economy. In law, contract reviews that once took days are now completed by AI tools in minutes. In healthcare, South Africa’s Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre has pioneered robotic systems to conduct vascular surgeries remotely. These technologies do not replace professionals; instead, they augment expertise, streamline workflows, and enable higher-value work.

This disruption extends across sectors. Sama, a data-labelling company employing more than 3,000 people in East Africa, provides training data for global technology leaders such as Google and Meta. Synthesia enables lifelike AI-generated video content without the need for cameras or studios. Conversational AI, from chatbots to virtual agents, is creating new categories of employment and redefining how businesses interact with customers.

Globally, the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 estimates that 92 million jobs could be displaced by automation, while 170 million new roles could be created, resulting in a net gain of 78 million jobs,  equivalent to 14% of today’s global employment. The challenge lies in managing this transition equitably and preparing workforces for a fundamentally reshaped labour market.

Unique African context for AI

In Africa, where informal employment dominates, the effects of AI will be distinct. Informal work is less directly exposed to automation, but the continent stands to gain from remote digital work outsourced by mature economies. Global demand for cost-effective, skilled digital labour could create new opportunities for African workers if infrastructure, skills, and investment align.

Large-scale investments from global technology companies underscore this potential. Amazon Web Services (AWS) has invested more than US$860 million in South Africa, with plans to increase this to US$1.7 billion by 2029. AWS employs around 5,700 people in Cape Town across roles ranging from customer support to software development, and its operations are expected to contribute US$3.8 billion to South Africa’s GDP by the end of the decade. This demonstrates how Africa can meaningfully integrate into the global digital economy.

Entrepreneurs also have a critical role to play. With improved access to funding and markets, African startups are uniquely positioned to develop solutions tailored to local challenges. These solutions, often scalable and resilient by design, can create new industries while addressing persistent challenges with healthcare, education, and financial inclusion.

Africa’s greatest demographic asset is its youth. Sub-Saharan Africa has the youngest population in the world, with 70% under the age of 30. By 2030, young Africans will make up more than 40% of the global youth population. This represents both a challenge and an unparalleled opportunity.

Persistent youth unemployment highlights a mismatch between education systems and future workforce demands. Most young Africans are employed in the informal sector, where opportunities for growth and mobility are limited. Meanwhile, the World Economic Forum predicts that 60% of the global workforce will need reskilling by 2030, driven by technological and structural changes. Unless Africa’s education and training systems are restructured to align with future needs, the continent risks squandering its demographic dividend.

Investments in digital literacy, coding, data science, and entrepreneurship are urgently needed to bridge this gap. With the right interventions, Africa’s youth could become the driving force of a technology-powered economy, positioning the continent as both an innovator and a key contributor to the global workforce.

Building tomorrow’s AI-ready workforce

Evidence of AI’s impact on employment is already visible in Africa’s most vital sectors: food, health, and digital services. Farmers are using AI-enabled tools to improve crop yields. Nurses in rural areas are employing portable AI diagnostics to expand healthcare access. Youth are entering the digital economy through data labelling, content moderation, and remote support roles. These footholds could grow into large-scale employment sectors with the right investment.

The skills required to thrive in this new environment go beyond traditional qualifications. Data literacy, digital fluency, and ethical awareness of AI will be essential. Yet, research suggests the continent is underprepared. SAP Africa’s AI Skills Readiness Revealed report found that fewer than 20% of African organisations are ready for the AI era, with acute shortages in machine learning, data science, and AI ethics. This highlights the urgency of coordinated action between governments, academia, and industry.

National strategies should embed digital and AI skills throughout education systems, from primary school to higher education and continuous professional development. Agile, inclusive systems will ensure citizens are equipped not only to adapt, but to lead in an AI-powered world.

Continental frameworks are emerging, such as the African Union’s AI Strategy and Smart Africa’s AI Blueprint. These provide a foundation, but their impact will depend on coordinated implementation and continent-wide collaboration. Success will require moving beyond vision statements to actionable strategies that prioritise inclusivity and sustainability.

AI is not just another wave of technology. It represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reimagine the future of work in Africa. With its youthful population, entrepreneurial spirit, and growing digital infrastructure, the continent is well-positioned to turn disruption into opportunity. But doing so will require urgency, investment, and collective commitment.

If Africa acts decisively, it can shape an AI-powered future that is inclusive, innovative, and globally competitive. If it does not, the risk is that inequality will deepen, and opportunities will be lost. The choice is clear, and the time to act is now.

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