As South Africa continues to grapple with high unemployment and low economic growth, tech giant Google has revealed that it’s aiming to help create 300 000 jobs in South Africa (SA) via small and medium enterprises and skills development initiatives in the country.
Last week, Google took a significant step by launching its first Google Cloud region in Africa, with an investment of US$1 billion (over R18 billion) investment in Johannesburg.
The move was welcomed by president Cyril Ramaphosa, who highlighted that the company’s expanding presence would benefit SA.
“Google’s growing presence will benefit the people of South Africa and the rest of Africa by allowing firms and entrepreneurs to access the powerful potential of artificial intelligence (AI), transforming nearly every part of the economy,” said Ramaphosa.
According to IT Web, Tara Brady, president of Google Cloud Europe, Middle East and Africa said the company is projected to “fuel over US$90 billion (R1 665 trillion) in economic output and help create 300 000 jobs in SA by 2030”.
“Google is projected to fuel over US$90 billion in economic output and help create 300 000 jobs in SA by 2030. We are among the fastest-growing technological companies globally, with over 30% year-on-year growth.
“These are not just technology jobs; they also include business skills, etc. There’s a whole new wave of new jobs coming on the back of artificial intelligence,” Brady said.
He acknowledged the growing concern that AI might lead to job losses but emphasised that Google is investing in the jobs of the future.
“People think they will lose their jobs as a result of AI’s efficiency, but we are investing in those new jobs of the future. I do believe that when there is a large number of organisations that are willing to invest in such [initiatives], this will enable SA to leapfrog many other countries,” he added.
Speaking at the National System of Innovation Transformation Summit in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni, two weeks ago, Minister of science, technology, and innovation Blade Nzimande also stressed the importance of SA embracing AI and the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) to remain competitive in an increasingly digital world.
The latest Statistics SA data shows that South Africa’s unemployment rate stood at 31.9% in the last quarter of 2024, one of the highest in the world. – IOL Business
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