• Microsoft South Africa and SABC Plus will integrate AI and digital skills training into the SABC Plus platform, building on Microsoft’s pledge to train one million South Africans by 2026.

• SABC Plus, launched in 2022, offers free TV, radio, and on-demand content nationwide, making it a strong channel to scale skills programs.

• AI adoption could boost Africa’s GDP by 50% by 2030, with SAP estimating a potential US$1.5 trillion gain if the continent captures 10% of the global AI market.

Microsoft South Africa and SABC Plus announced a collaboration on January 29 at the Microsoft AI Tour in Johannesburg to integrate AI fluency and digital skills training into the SABC Plus platform. The initiative, driven by Microsoft Elevate, builds on the 2025 AI Skills Initiative, which pledged to train one million South Africans by 2026.

“AI can be a powerful bridge to opportunity. By partnering with SABC, we aim to embed digital and AI skills into the daily lives of millions,” said Tiara Pathon, Microsoft Elevate AI Skills Director for South Africa.

Launched in 2022, SABC Plus is a free-to-air internet-based platform offering live TV, radio, catch-up content, and on-demand videos. With nationwide reach, including rural areas with limited broadband, the platform supports SABC’s public mandate to educate and empower. The collaboration will leverage SABC Plus’s scale to deliver Microsoft Elevate programs such as Ikamva Digital for TVET colleges, ElevateHer for women, Civic AI for non-profits, and the YES 50K Certification Programme.

The effort responds to global trends: AI skills rank among the fastest-growing worldwide. In South Africa, adoption rose to 21.1% in 2025, according to Microsoft’s AI Diffusion Report. Analysts note that AI adoption could contribute to a 50% uplift in Africa’s GDP by 2030, driven by productivity gains and new industries. A separate study, Africa’s AI Skills Readiness Revealed by System Applications and Products (SAP), a German multinational software business, estimates that artificial intelligence could add US$1.5 trillion to the African economy by 2030 if the continent captures just 10% of the global AI market. Initiatives like Elevate are seen as critical to bridging the skills gap and curbing unemployment by creating pathways into high-demand sectors.

Hikmatu Bilali