AI Skills Demand Surges As SA Workforce Adapts

Contrary to popular belief that AI is eroding jobs in the ICT sector, demand for AI-related skills is soaring and ICT practitioners are embracing the technology in South Africa.

This is a key finding of the 2026 Institute of Information Technology Professionals (IITPSA) ICT Skills Survey – a comprehensive guide to South African ICT skills supply and demand produced in partnership with Africa Analysis.

The survey, which was released at the IITPSA Workforce Intelligence Conference and exhibition in Johannesburg on 30 October 2026, polled both employers and ICT professionals, deep diving for the first time into the impact of AI on ICT skills requirements.

AI Reshapes Workplaces And Skills Requirements

Lehlohonolo Mokenela, Managing Director at Africa Analysis and telecommunications analyst, said, “The IITPSA ICT Skills Survey found that AI is already reshaping the workplace, but that fears of widespread immediate job displacement may be overstated. Rather than replacing workers entirely, AI is primarily being used to automate routine tasks and augment human capabilities.”

He noted that “Organisations that report major ICT skills shortages are among the strongest adopters of AI, suggesting that AI adoption is often a response to talent constraints rather than an alternative to human talent.”

Mokenela says the report found that the changing environment made AI literacy a key capability required across workforces and is driving employers to seek advanced skills in AI-related, cloud computing, cybersecurity, data analytics and software development disciplines.

Skills Shortfalls

While software development, cloud computing and data engineering remain important foundational capabilities, organisations increasingly need professionals who can operationalise AI solutions, manage AI risks, ensure responsible AI implementation and translate business requirements into AI use cases.

To meet the demands of the AI economy, the South African labour market is seeing a rapid increase in demand for AI Engineers, Machine Learning Engineers, Generative AI Specialists, Prompt Engineers and AI Governance and Compliance Officers – particularly in large enterprises, ICT firms and financial services organisations. In addition, organisations require technical professionals to be able to combine technical expertise with business understanding, transformation capability, strategic thinking and the ability to apply digital technologies within organisational contexts.

Behind The Skills Gaps

The IITPSA ICT Skills Survey finds that the biggest reason for ICT skills gaps is a lack of workplace experience (24 per cent), followed by gaps in education and training (20 per cent), a lack of diversity (16 per cent) and the brain drain (12 per cent). To address these gaps and retain skilled employees, 44 per cent of organisations polled offer flexible schedules, 41 per cent offer development programmes, 29 per cent offer performance bonuses and 36 per cent offer increased pay. 28 per cent also look overseas for specialised skills and experienced talent, and nearly 52 per cent outsource IT functions to overseas firms.

ICT Practitioners Get Moving

The IITPSA ICT Skills Survey revealed ICT practitioners are well aware of AI-driven change and opportunities in the market, and are moving to upskill and work remotely to advance their careers in the AI economy. 22 per cent are currently working remotely, 33.3 per cent plan to and 30.8 per cent are considering it. Contractors, freelancers and self-employed practitioners show particularly strong interest in remote international opportunities.

The report finds that most practitioners see AI as an augmentation technology rather than a replacement technology, with only a minority reporting that workforce reduction is an explicit objective of organisational AI programmes. Their response to AI in their workplace is largely positive, with nearly 80 per cent indicating that AI has reduced workload and/or reduced task complexity and less than 10 per cent saying it increased workloads or complexity. 47.9 per cent are both optimistic and concerned about AI, while 37.6 per cent are optimistic about AI’s potential.

Those using AI for more than 50 per cent of their daily work report the highest levels of productivity improvement and the strongest positive sentiment toward AI. The more practitioners use AI to boost productivity, the less likely they are to believe AI puts their jobs at risk.

“This relationship appears throughout the survey and is one of the strongest behavioural trends observed,” said Mokanela.

The survey finds only 6 per cent of ICT practitioners believe they are at high risk of losing their jobs due to AI, while 27.4 per cent believe AI poses a moderate risk to their jobs. 45.3 per cent believe AI is a low risk, and 21.4 per cent see it as no risk.

Industry Needs Alternative Skills Pipelines

The survey report found that technological progress is outpacing traditional ICT skills development pipelines through universities and TVET colleges.

However, it notes that the skills shortage is the result of multiple interconnected challenges rather than a single point of failure. Weak foundational literacy and numeracy outcomes, declining participation in STEM-related pathways, curriculum responsiveness challenges, limited workplace-based learning opportunities and the migration of experienced professionals collectively contribute to the shortage of digital talent.

It emphasises that alternative learning pathways must become an increasingly important source of ICT and AI-related skills, it says.

Build SA’s AI Capacity

Welcoming the ICT Skills Survey findings, IITPSA President Pearl Pasi said, “While AI is being viewed with increasing caution in much of the world, we are encouraged to find that South African ICT practitioners and employers are eager to harness the technology and explore the opportunities it offers.”

However, she noted that every effort should be made to upskill existing workforces and build future skills pipelines to keep pace with change in the market. “The IITPSA wholeheartedly supports the report’s recommendations that workplace-based learning, internships and graduate development programmes should be expanded, that partnerships between industry and educational institutions should be fostered to improve curriculum responsiveness, and that lifelong learning should be promoted through micro-credentials, certifications and alternative learning pathways,” she said, adding that “South Africa should not miss the opportunity to take its place in the emerging AI economy, so we need to move quickly to build the human capital we need to create value from the technology.”