Artificial intelligence is no longer a novelty for South Africans. In fact, it is rapidly becoming a practical tool woven into everyday life.
According to a new study from Google and research agency Ipsos, 70% of South African adults have already used AI chatbots to upskill themselves, which is 25 percentage points higher than the global average.
The study, called Our life with AI: helpfulness in the hands of more people, shows that South Africans are using AI to handle everyday administration, explore new opportunities and support learning, while remaining broadly optimistic about its impact on education, the economy and society.
From learning new skills and navigating work tasks to making major personal decisions, people across the country are increasingly embracing AI at a pace that outstrips much of the rest of the world.
“South Africans are moving quickly from experimenting with AI to using it as an everyday tool to learn, work and explore new opportunities,” said Kabelo Makwane, country director for Google South Africa, in a statement on Thursday.
“This report shows that people in our country view AI as a driver of progress – from students and teachers to entrepreneurs and researchers.”
The study found that 90% of respondents are interested in learning more about AI, which Google said points to a country that wants to build AI literacy skills and confidence with new technology.
Key findings
Some of the key findings include:
- Learning with AI: Some 86% said it helps them learn something new or understand a complex topic, compared to 74% globally.
- A tool for work: Three-quarters (75%) said they see AI as useful in the workplace.
- Everyday support: About half (51%) said they have turned to AI for day-to-day help, from planning to problem solving.
- The opportunity engine: Two-thirds (65%) said they have used AI to explore a new business venture or career change, while 49% said they have used it to help navigate a major life event or decision.
- Power users emerging: Some 27% said they use AI “a lot” in their work or life, and 63% said they are open to doing more with AI but want to feel more confident in how to use it.
AI also plays a major role in education in South Africa, with 81% of respondents saying it has had a positive impact on the way they learn, compared with 65% globally.
More than 80% said AI has had a positive impact on how they access information, and most of the public believes that pupils, students and educators are likely to find it beneficial.
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On confidence in tech companies, 63% said they believe businesses are introducing AI responsibly, and 88% said they have confidence in these companies overseeing AI in the public’s best interest.
The number drops when it comes to trust in government, with 58% saying they are confident the state can oversee the development of AI in the public interest. This is on par with the global average.
However, most said they want to see the government using AI to unlock insights from complex data (67%), help citizens access public services (75%) and make systems more secure from cyberattacks (76%).
Meanwhile, respondents were split between prioritising protections for impacted industries through AI regulation (53%) and fostering advances in science, medicine and other fields through AI innovation (47%).
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Respondents said those who are unlikely to benefit from AI are manufacturing workers, tradespeople and skilled labourers. Teachers are seen as most at risk.
The survey was conducted by Ipsos between 22 September and 10 October 2025 and the sample size was a thousand people. – © 2026 NewsCentral Media
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