A few of us didn’t really know what artificial intelligence (AI) was in 2016, but now, as South Africa grows and develops, so does the technology and innovation.
Today, the common question in offices isn’t: Do you know what AI is, it’s do you use AI?

At a media roundtable event, hosted by Red Hat about the post Red Hat summit in Bryanston, industry leaders warned that artificial intelligence and automation are no longer future concepts, but active forces reshaping how businesses operate, hire, and spend.

Read more: Artificial intelligence to recognise weather conditions

The conversation focused on how AI is shifting from simple tools into agentic systems, working continuously, generating output at scale, and dramatically increasing productivity.

Bruce Busansky, application platform specialist at Red Hat, used a simple analogy to explain the shift. “Think of it like an intern. Same cost, same system, but now it works 24 hours a day and produces ten times more output.”

Also read: Artificial insemination: Does it work and what are the costs?

He added that this shift is creating what he called a token economy, where businesses may not immediately feel costs at small scale, but can quickly face unexpected financial pressure as AI usage grows.

Busansky said many organisations are still experimenting with large AI models, but are struggling to understand cost and control. He pointed out that companies are moving from being token consumers to potentially token producers as they begin building their own internal AI systems.

He said the message is businesses that delay adoption risk falling behind. “Certainty is difficult in the world we are in right now, but the organisations that build early will have the advantage.”

Oluwafiropo Tobi Ogundare, territory sales lead for West Africa and Mauritius at Red Hat, highlighted that infrastructure remains one of the biggest barriers in Africa. He said organisations cannot fully benefit from AI without modernising their systems first. Legacy infrastructure, cost pressures, and lack of readiness continue to slow adoption.

@caxtonjoburgnorth WATCH: AI is changing work, costs, and jobs in South Africa. The Red Hat team urges businesses to adapt or fall behind. Video: Duduzile Khumalo #Sandton #AI ♬ original sound – Caxton Joburg North

Ogundare elaborated on the growing importance of digital sovereignty, explaining that organisations and governments increasingly want control over their data and systems, rather than relying entirely on global platforms. He said open-source technology is becoming central to solving this challenge because it offers flexibility, and avoids vendor lock-in.

Dion Harvey, regional general manager for Sub-Saharan Africa at Red Hat, pointed out the human responsibility in an AI-driven world. He said that AI should not be used blindly without understanding the output. “My wife is a teacher and uses AI to assist her, but she knows how to evaluate whether the output is correct or useful.”

Harvey added that the human element remains critical, especially when it comes to judgement, ethics, and accountability. “If you just take whatever AI gives you and use it without thinking, you should fail.”

Follow us on our WhatsApp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok for the latest updates and inspiration!