A subtle, yet strong shift is changing the way people are working around the world. Across industries, firms such as Deloitte, EY, KPMG and PwC are embracing artificial intelligence (AI) to streamline operations, automating everything from tax calculations to client reporting.
For SA’s young graduates, many entering the market with limited work experience, the implications are profound. In a country grappling with unequal access to education and digital resources, the AI wave presents both opportunity and threat.
According to Accountancy Age (June 2025), KPMG UK cut its graduate intake by 29% this year, with similar reductions at Deloitte (18%), EY (11%), and PwC (6%). These firms are increasingly relying on AI tools to handle tasks once performed by entry-level staff. While their SA counterparts haven’t officially reported similar trends, a Consultancy.co.za survey shows that 70% of local professionals fear job displacement due to AI, with more than 60% already using generative tools regularly.
The disrupted first line
Graduates today are stepping into a job market unlike anything previous generations ever experienced. Entry-level roles are no longer a given as AI steadily replaces tasks that used to define the beginning of a career. Jobs that were once performed by junior auditors, tax consultants and analysts — checking spreadsheets, compiling reports, offering basic guidance — are increasingly managed by AI systems that complete the work faster, cheaper and with fewer errors. For many young professionals the starting point of a career is either shifting dramatically or disappearing altogether.
According to Stats SA’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey (Q1 2025), the national unemployment rate stands at 32.9%, with youth unemployment at a staggering 45.5%. That’s nearly half of all South Africans aged 15-34 years without work — before the full effect of AI even takes root. A 2024 Boston Consulting Group (BCG) report stated that SA’s professional services and finance sectors were among those most vulnerable to AI disruption within the next five years.
A challenge of digital equity
AI disruption does not land evenly. SA’s digital divide and unequal education system compound the risk of exclusion for millions of young people. High data costs, unreliable connectivity and limited access to devices disproportionately affect rural and township communities, undermining employability in the AI era.
According to the Icasa 2025 State of ICT report, only 10%-12% of rural households have access to stable high-speed internet. Meanwhile, Research ICT Africa highlights that SA’s mobile data costs remain among the highest on the continent. Without urgent investment in infrastructure and fair digital access we risk creating a divided workforce, where some move ahead with the help of AI while others are left behind completely
Shifting skills for a new era
Beyond the challenges, AI also offers opportunity for transformation. As automation replaces routine tasks, new types of jobs and skills are emerging. Roles like prompt engineers, ethical AI auditors and data curators are growing in demand.
As automation replaces routine tasks, new types of jobs and skills are emerging.
Graduates who will succeed in this new landscape must be AI-literate and adaptable. This includes understanding large language models, using data tools and developing the ability to interpret AI outcomes critically and ethically. Emotional intelligence, leadership, negotiation and storytelling will remain irreplaceable human assets.
Encouragingly, institutions such as the University of Cape Town and Wits University have begun introducing AI modules into business and law programmes. But this is still the exception rather than the norm. A national, systemic curriculum overhaul is needed, one that starts far earlier and reaches much further.
AI validation, trust and governance
Another growing concern is the over-reliance on unverified AI outputs. Many of the entry-level roles being phased out once served as a validation layer — human checkers who spotted errors, applied context and upheld professional standards. If we remove the human layer, who holds AI accountable?
Generative AI models often produce content that includes fabricated information, embedded biases and factual errors. Without proper oversight the danger isn’t just automation, it’s blind trust in flawed systems. SA currently lacks formal AI legislation.
The Draft National AI Policy Framework (2023) released by the department of communications and digital technologies remains under consultation, with key issues such as explainability, liability and ethical boundaries still unresolved. Graduates can play a crucial role here, not just as users of AI but as ethical stewards who help shape its governance.
Opportunity in the disruption
AI-driven platforms are unlocking remote work opportunities, enabling young South Africans to participate in global freelance jobs such as content moderation, transcription and virtual assistance — provided they have digital access and skills.
AI-driven platforms are unlocking remote work opportunities, enabling young South Africans to participate in global freelance jobs ...
For entrepreneurs, AI can remove hurdles by automating tasks such as customer engagement, invoicing and marketing, allowing youth to start and grow businesses with limited capital and resources. At the same time, the growing reliance on machines elevates the importance of human skills such as emotional intelligence, ethical judgment and collaboration. These unique human traits will remain critical in AI-integrated workplaces.
Young professionals can help shape SA’s AI future by influencing policy, promoting fairness and ensure that technology reflects the country’s diverse realities.
Learning from other developing countries and a call to action
Other developing countries are not waiting, but are already acting decisively. India’s Responsible AI for Youth initiative has introduced thousands of rural students to basic AI skills, while Kenya’s Ajira Digital Programme trains young people for freelance digital work. These programmes show that inclusive digital futures are possible with strong public-private collaboration and deliberate policy support.
As the World Economic Forum (WEF) explains, digital inclusion and education are not just social priorities, they are essential to economic resilience. Its 2025 analysis shows that every 10% increase in broadband access can boost GDP growth by about 1.4%. Inclusive cities consistently lead in areas such as innovation, workforce capability and entrepreneurial growth, which are core drivers of economic resilience.
Furthermore, AI literacy is now seen as a core competency for the future workforce. The WEF’s AI Literacy Framework encourages early and inclusive digital education to prepare young people for meaningful participation in the evolving world of work.
AI will not wait for SA to be ready. The government, higher education and industry must collaborate to deliver AI literacy to all SA youth, not just for the privileged few. This means subsidising internet and devices, embedding AI into school and university curricula and actively supporting rural and underserved communities.
• Stewart chairs the Institute of Information Technology Professionals SA's Women in IT chapter.
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