Mosidi Modise | Director | Good Work Foundation (GWF) | mail me |
Will Artificial Intelligence (AI) take our jobs in the future? No. But people who know how to use AI effectively just might.
The World Economic Forum predicts this shift, which is why our education system must embrace the opportunities AI offers.
We must stop treating new technologies as threats or sources of fear.
AI is our ally, not our enemy
That was one of my key takeaways from a recent session with the Institute of Directors in Ireland, where I’m currently based. This high-level talk on the skills of future board members sparked new thoughts.
There is currently a lot of buzz about AI tools transforming the workplace of the future. In fact, these tools are already transforming the workplace of today. As a result, many feel pressure to adapt their skill sets quickly. Unfortunately, this shift is often framed in doom-and-gloom terms, which creates anxiety and uncertainty.
However, it was refreshing and reassuring to hear insights confirming that AI is unlikely to replace humans in the workforce. Instead, the person who knows how to deploy and leverage AI and other digital tools will be in high demand. In short, AI is our ally, not our adversary.
This is reinforced by the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025. The report states that AI and information-processing technologies are expected to create 11 million jobs globally by 2030. At the same time, they will displace nine million jobs.
AI to transform clerical and knowledge work
Generative AI and autonomous systems will increasingly take over certain roles. These include clerical, administrative and data-capturing jobs. Much knowledge work, as we know it today, will also be transformed.
Somewhat alarmingly, the report predicts that, on average, workers can expect 39% of their existing skills to become outdated or transformed by 2030. This reality underscores the urgent need for all of us to pivot, adapt and update our capabilities. Otherwise, we risk falling behind more tech-savvy adopters.
This urgency applies across all sectors and industries. But for those of us working in education, both in formal institutions and non-profits like ours, it is a wake-up call. We must shift our mindset and respond to the rapidly evolving labour market.
In South Africa, many young people already lag behind their global peers in education. This makes the challenge even more pressing. How do we close the already wide skills gap while preparing learners for an unpredictable job market? How do we equip our youth to enter a future that even adults find difficult to imagine?
We are already providing transformative digital-led learning to young people in rural Mpumalanga and the Free State. This includes coding and robotics programmes designed to prepare them for the workplace. However, we know we cannot become complacent. It is not enough for learners to be digitally literate. In the 21st-century workplace, they must be digital natives. They must feel as comfortable interacting in virtual spaces as they do in physical ones. This must become second nature.
AI is our ally in learning transformation
For this reason, we are integrating AI-enabled and virtual reality-augmented experiences into our learning environments. We are using spatial AI to enhance how learners engage with content. This technology bridges physical and virtual spaces in powerful, immersive ways.
Beyond the common assumption that AI is simply for shortcuts, like getting ChatGPT to write assignments, there are many useful applications. Imagine a young jobseeker attending a simulated job interview in a virtual setting. They could build confidence before entering a real interview.
Picture a conservation student who virtually visits the Kruger National Park. They could observe and identify fauna and flora in detail. Envision a child seeing a 3D visualisation of a Lego Spike robot before coding it to move in real life.
These are not just cool tricks. These tools are game-changers. They provide real-world preparation and deeply engaging learning experiences. That is why I urge educators to explore and adopt these tools instead of fearing digital disruption. Embracing these changes requires open minds and a commitment to lifelong learning. Educators must stay updated so they can pass on that knowledge to their learners.
In conclusion
Of course, we must balance AI use with the need to think critically, creatively and originally. These human qualities remain essential. But AI offers an exciting space in which to innovate and grow. We must learn to work with it because AI is our ally in shaping a better, more agile education system.
Already, access to digital tools is opening new doors for South Africa’s youth. Our responsibility is to equip them with as many relevant skills as possible. With the right support, they can step confidently into a rapidly evolving world.
