RESEARCH | 91% of South African Executives Say AI has improved their work, but few could tell you how it reached that answer.
SHAHEEN KHAN | Senior Lecturer, Regent Business School | RESEARCH | 25 August 2026 Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer an emerging technology confined to research laboratories or technology companies. It has become an integral part of managerial decision-making across organisations worldwide, including South Africa. According to PwC’s Africa Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey (2025), 91% of South African senior executives who used AI during the previous year reported that it had improved the quality of their work, while 64% of employees across Africa reported using AI in the workplace, exceeding the global average of 54%. These statistics demonstrate that AI has moved beyond experimentation and is becoming embedded in everyday business practice. What has not kept pace, however, is the development of AI literacy, governance and critical evaluation skills required to ensure that AI-assisted decisions remain accurate, ethical and accountable. The public debate surroundi...