As artificial intelligence reshapes industries across the world, a recent World Economic Forum article highlights a truth business can no longer afford to ignore: the biggest barrier to progress is not access to technology. It’s the human capability needed to use it well.
The article, which features insights from ManpowerGroup alongside other global workforce experts, shows that while AI is rapidly transforming productivity and job design, the skills required to work confidently alongside intelligent systems are not developing at the same pace. Globally, 72% of employers report difficulty finding the talent they need, with AI‑related skills now among the most acute shortages.
The concern is not that AI will replace people. The concern is that people may not be equipped to work effectively in an AI‑enabled world.
The capabilities most in demand are not technical. They are deeply human: analytical thinking, creativity, empathy, resilience, collaboration, ethical judgment and the ability to navigate uncertainty. These mirror the World Economic Forum’s core leadership skills for the future, a list dominated by emotional and cognitive strengths that cannot be automated.
This perspective echoes insights shared by leadership expert Dr Jan Bellermann at the 2026 Conscious Companies Summit held in Johannesburg in May. Bellermann argued that AI is not only a technological shift but also a human and identity shift. As AI increasingly takes over the work of the “head,” leaders must invest in the strengths of the “heart” and “gut” — empathy, intuition, courage and emotional intelligence.
These are the capabilities that will differentiate organisations in the years ahead.
Jonas Prising, ManpowerGroup Chairman & CEO, captures the challenge clearly: “The issue is no longer access to AI. The real test is whether people have the skills and confidence to work effectively alongside it. Technology will keep advancing, but it’s human adaptability that will determine whether organisations thrive.”
For South Africa, this is a pivotal insight. The country’s competitiveness will depend not on how quickly businesses adopt AI tools, but on how effectively leaders and employees develop the human strengths that make those tools valuable.
“Technology is advancing faster than leadership mindsets,” says Lyndy van den Barselaar, Managing Director of ManpowerGroup South Africa. “The organisations that will thrive are those investing just as intentionally in human capability as they are in digital capability. AI can enhance performance, but only people can create trust, culture and ethical decision‑making. That is where South Africa’s competitive advantage will come from.”
The WEF article warns that countries that fail to close the human skills gap risk widening inequality, slowing economic growth and missing out on the productivity gains AI can unlock. For South Africa, where unemployment, youth skills development and economic resilience are urgent priorities, this is a moment that demands decisive action.
To remain competitive, organisations will need to:
- Invest in continuous skills development
- Strengthen leadership capacity for uncertainty
- Build emotional intelligence and human‑centred decision‑making
- Redesign work to blend human strengths with AI capabilities
- Create cultures where learning and adaptability are core expectations
AI may change the nature of work, but it is human capability that will determine whether South Africa rises to meet this moment.
The real AI divide is not about technology. It is about the human skills that make technology meaningful.
