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Humans + Machines: Building the workforce of the future
By Ursula Fear, Senior Talent Programme Manager | Salesforce
Is AI coming for your job, or is it already working beside you? As its use becomes more routine, artificial intelligence is looking less like a threat and more like a teammate: answering queries, making decisions, chasing leads, processing invoices, and drafting content around the clock.
Ursula Fear, Senior Talent Program Manager, Salesforce
This new class of digital labour is changing how teams function, how targets are met, and how people spend their time at work. From now on, almost every job, team, and company will involve AI agents – systems that can analyse vast datasets, apply human-like reasoning, and act independently. Their presence is set to influence workflows, increase productivity, support innovation, and redefine roles across the organisation.
Rather than replacing people, AI is tilting the workload. Salesforce research shows that 23% of HR teams plan to redeploy employees into roles that make better use of their uniquely human strengths. At the same time, agentic AI adoption is projected to surge by 327% over the next two years (from roughly 15% adoption today to about 64% by 2027).
This shift is tied to anticipated productivity gains of 30% per employee and labour cost reductions of 19%, equating to about $11,000 in savings per employee annually, based on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) wage averages. Rather than replacing people, organisations are preparing to reskill and redeploy workers, enabling humans to focus on higher-value roles that emphasise creativity, strategy, and interpersonal skills.
A recent Gartner poll further found that 95% of customer service teams intend to retain human agents to help define and guide the role of AI, reinforcing the value of a “digital first, not digital only” approach. Gartner further says that by 2027, half of the organisations that planned to significantly reduce their customer service workforce will abandon those plans, highlighting the limits of going fully “agentless”.
For African countries, the rise of digital labour presents an opportunity to build modern, inclusive workforces without being bound by outdated development models. But realising this potential depends on sustained investment in skills training, digital infrastructure, and equitable access to AI tools.
Train for tomorrow
Africa has the world’s youngest population. It’s bursting with entrepreneurial energy. But many young people still don’t have access to the tools and skills that will define the next era of work. If the continent wants to lead in the digital labour revolution, it should act now by investing in digital infrastructure, prioritising skills development, and forging partnerships that make future-focused training widely accessible.
Yes, the skills gap is real and broadband internet is still a luxury in many communities. But on the upside, AI training doesn’t require a university degree. Much of it is free, online, and accessible to anyone with a smartphone and a curious mind.
That opens the door to governments, educators, businesses, and civil society to step up to update school curricula, expand digital infrastructure, and support public-private training partnerships. All of this matters: not just for economic growth, but for social inclusion, too.
If these foundations are put in place, African countries could not only meet the needs of their growing population but also leapfrog outdated development models.
From entry-level to in-demand
When AI begins to handle the simpler tasks, it’s easy to worry about what’s left for those starting out. Entry-level jobs aren’t disappearing though. Instead of doing routine work, newcomers will now need to build skills in oversight, collaboration, and using AI tools effectively from day one. The ladder still exists; it just starts in a different place.
This will require a different kind of training – not just technical know-how, but in soft skills like empathy, adaptability, ethical judgement, and communication, which are all human traits that help teams thrive.
AI’s presence in the workplace may be concerning, with reports of job cuts due to its adoption (here, here, here, and here), but all is not as it seems.
Research suggests a more balanced perspective: One of the most comprehensive studies, from the National Bureau of Economic Research, tracked 25,000 workers across 7,000 Danish firms using AI chatbots. It found no significant changes to jobs, wages, or working hours. Productivity rose by around 3%, without leading to layoffs.
The St. Louis Fed found something similar. Based on large-scale surveys in the US, researchers reported one in four workers now use generative AI weekly, saving on average just over two hours a week. Spread across the entire labour market, that translated into a 1.1% productivity gain. Crucially, there was no sign this efficiency came at the cost of jobs.
Adding to this, a 2024 study by Mäkelä and Stephany analysed over 12 million US job listings and revealed that demand is surging for “AI-complementary” skills such as resilience, teamwork, digital literacy, and analytical thinking. These are the very human capabilities that help people work effectively with AI. The study found AI-focused roles are nearly twice as likely to list these skills, and they command wage premiums of 5–10%. Even more telling: the positive impact of these complementary skills outweighs the substitution effects of AI by up to 70%.
These findings all suggest that AI isn’t replacing workers; it’s helping them work smarter and more efficiently. To thrive in this blended future, we need to prepare today, by building the right skills, expanding access, and embracing AI not as a threat, but as a partner in progress.
Because the future of work won’t be entirely human, nor entirely automated – it will be a blend of both.
MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF), a Pan-African film and television training institution, has announced the opening of applications for its 2026 intake.
MultiChoice
The fully funded programme is open to African graduates aspiring to become directors, filmmakers, scriptwriters, producers and storytellers.
According to MultiChoice, the nine-month accredited curriculum combines online learning with intensive in-person training, and is designed to balance theoretical knowledge with practical immersion.
MTF academies are located in Kenya, Nigeria and Zambia, and serve aspiring filmmakers from 14 African countries. Since its inception in 2018, the initiative has trained 296 filmmakers, with graduates producing more than 42 movies aired on DStv, GOtv and Showmax platforms.
Organisers said alumni of the programme have gone on to establish over 50 production companies, while many continue to work within the MultiChoice ecosystem.
Graduates have also won accolades at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, Kalasha Awards, Uganda Film Festival and Women in Film Awards.
Applications for the 2026 intake close on Feb. 27, 2026. Interested candidates can visit https://apo-opa.co/3XW53oE for programme requirements.
Broadcasting
Davido, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Karl Toriola, Others To Be Honoured At The Most Influential People of African Descent Awards In Lagos
Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) is excited to announce the Lagos Diaspora Experience 2025, a week-long celebration of African art, culture, innovation, and connection, culminating in the End of the Year Awards & Celebration on Sunday, December 21st, 2025, in Lagos, Nigeria.
The Most Influential People of African Descent Awards
This historic occasion marks the first time the world-famous Most Influential 100 Recognition & Awards Ceremony—traditionally held in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)—will be hosted in Lagos, Nigeria.
The week will feature events such as Diaspora Day at the Fela Exhibition (Afrobeat Meets Diaspora), Cultural Heritage Day, and Business Leadership Luncheons, all culminating in the awards celebration.
The evening will honor the Best & Brightest of the Year, recognizing exceptional individuals and institutions whose work has advanced Global African Achievement and Black Excellence across business, government, media, culture, and technology.
Key Recognitions for 2025
– Governor of the Year & City of the Year: His Excellency Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos State, honored alongside Lagos as City of the Year for its global leadership in culture, innovation, tourism, and diaspora engagement.
– Her Excellency Hannatu Musa Musawa, Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, will be honoured as Minister of the Year for her contribution to the creative economy’s role in nation branding and cultural diplomacy.
– Most Influential Woman of the Year: Olorì Atúwàtse III, Queen Consort of the Warri Kingdom
– Most Influential Man of the Year: Adewale Tinubu, Group Chief Executive, OANDO
– CEO of the Year: Karl Toriola, Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria; who will deliver a keynote address, recognized for his transformative leadership and impact on Nigeria’s telecommunications and digital economy.
Others include; Karl Toriola of MTN as CEO of the year, Uche Pedro of Bella Naija as Lifestyle Personality Of The Year, Ojy Okpe of Artise News as Most Influential News Anchor Of The Year, Stephanie Busari as Media Executive of the Year, Kayode Okikiolu as Pressman of the year, Davido as Artist of the year and several others.
In celebrating this year’s honorees, Michael Ehindero, Managing Director, Pernod Ricard Nigeria, owners of Martell Cognac, who emerged as Brand Of The Year expressed deep appreciation for the brand’s continued global recognition, saying: “It’s a great reward for the team who’s delivered Martell excellently in Nigeria over the years.
“We say thank you to the teams, we say thank you to our consumers and we say thank you to MIPAD.
“Martell has a lot of promising experiences in the years to come in Nigeria and with this we invite you over to Nigeria to experience Detty December”.
The ceremony will also celebrate the achievements of the Class of 2025 Honorees, alongside past Nigerian honorees who were unable to attend their year of recognition in New York.
“For the first time, we’re bringing our world-famous recognition platform home to celebrate excellence within the Global Africa Family — right here in Lagos,” said Kamil Olufowobi, Founder & Chairman of MIPAD. “This is more than an event; it’s a movement uniting the best of us — connecting, collaborating, and working together to change the world.”
Event Details
📍 Lagos, Nigeria
– Friday, Dec 19 – #DettyDec Diaspora Day at Fela Exhibition FREE
– Sunday, Dec 21 – End of Year Recognition & Award Ceremony STRICTLY BY INVITATION
🎟️ RSVP: https://rsvp.oakenevents.com/mipad
Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has called for urgent adoption of advanced digital protections after blocking seven piracy sites amid escalating online threats to Nollywood content.
The call was made during a webinar hosted by Greychapel Legal titled “Clicks, Streams, and Copyright: Who Owns Nollywood’s Digital Future?”, which brought together filmmakers, regulators, entertainment lawyers and media strategists to examine how content ownership and copyright enforcement are being reshaped by the digital age.
Lynda Alphaeus, director and head of the NCC Lagos Office, said the Commission has intensified its efforts to combat piracy across digital channels and is upgrading its operations to meet emerging threats.
According to her, Nigeria’s new Copyright Act was deliberately updated to strengthen creators’ rights amid the explosion of online distribution.
“NCC has worked, and is still working tirelessly to adapt Nigeria’s legal framework to cope with digital distribution challenges. We now have the power to block networks publishing illegal content, and we have already blocked seven websites distributing pirated Nigerian works,” Alphaeus said.
She revealed that the Commission has established a special taskforce known as the STOP Unit to coordinate anti-piracy operations online, alongside new awareness campaigns targeting local markets and schools to educate content creators and the public on copyright obligations.
Alphaeus urged filmmakers and producers to take ownership of their digital safety by deploying available technological protections to safeguard their intellectual property.
She explained that tools such as encryption help prevent unauthorised copying, blockchain technology offers immutable proof of ownership, digital watermarking allows creators to trace illegal uploads, while cloud security and regular offline backups protect creative files before they reach the market.
While noting that copyright in Nigeria does not legally require registration, she stressed that registering one’s work strengthens protection and provides legal presumptions that can be vital in enforcement.
“Whatever you register is presumed to be yours until proven otherwise,” she said, urging creators to invest in copyright knowledge as part of their business strategy.
Other speakers at the webinar reinforced the urgency of protecting Nollywood’s digital assets.
James Omokwe, film director, noted that while streaming platforms have created unprecedented opportunities for visibility and monetisation, they have also opened new vectors for intellectual property theft and unauthorised redistribution.
Solafunmi Laelle, media strategist, added that audience data, which streaming platforms rely heavily on, will increasingly determine leverage and value in film licensing negotiations.
According to her, creators who lose control of their intellectual property, whether through piracy or unfavourable contracts, also lose access to valuable data that could shape their long-term earnings.
Nky Ofeimun, entertainment lawyer, emphasised the need for creators to understand the contractual implications of ownership, platform exclusivity, and reversion rights.
She noted that many filmmakers still underestimate how quickly digital copies can be illegally duplicated or uploaded once control is lost.
The panelists agreed that as Nollywood deepens its digital footprint, piracy will continue to evolve and become more sophisticated.
They stressed that the industry must respond with equally sophisticated tools, stronger contract negotiation, and improved education around copyright.
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