South Africans are rapidly expanding their artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities while investing heavily in critical-thinking and other human-centred skills, with enrolments in AI courses rising 75 percent over the past year, according to Coursera’s Global Skills Report 2026.
The report by the US-based online learning platform, enrolments in critical-thinking courses increased by 132 percent year-on-year, reflecting a growing focus on developing the skills needed to effectively apply and assess AI technologies in the workplace.
The findings place South Africa second among 11 Sub-Saharan African countries assessed on Coursera’s new AI-Human Skills Synergy Index and 73rd globally.
The index measures how effectively learners are developing AI capabilities alongside the human skills required to use them.
Coursera’s General Manager for the Middle East and Africa, Kais Zribi said South Africa’s growing investment in both AI and human skills provides a strong foundation for workforce development.
“The opportunity is to connect that commitment to learning with the capabilities employers need and clearer routes into work,” the executive said.
“Employers and educational institutions can help by aligning learning with specific roles, creating opportunities for practical experience and recognizing skills demonstrated through assessment.”
The report comes as South Africa seeks to strengthen links between skills development and employment amid persistent skills shortages in key technology fields.
A World Bank analysis cited in the report found ongoing recruitment difficulties in software development, networking and cybersecurity despite high unemployment levels.
It also noted that almost half of all job advertisements seek transferable skills such as communication and problem-solving.
Coursera said South African learners are increasingly combining technical and human skills as employers look for workers who can both use AI tools and interpret their outputs.
Among the fastest-growing AI learning areas were AI security, where enrolments rose 236 percent, agentic workflows at 195 percent, and generative AI at 161 percent.
Other popular areas included data analytics, AI agents and AI development frameworks.
At the same time, learners showed strong interest in communication and presentation skills, stakeholder engagement, emotional intelligence and critical thinking. Enrolments in complex problem-solving courses increased by 28 percent, while innovation-related learning grew by 19 percent.
The report found that South Africans are increasingly pairing AI and machine-learning training with communication and critical-thinking skills, enabling them to explain AI-driven insights, evaluate model limitations and communicate findings to both technical and non-technical audiences.
JN/APA