South Africa has emerged as one of the Commonwealth’s leading countries for youth artificial intelligence readiness, ranking 13th out of 56 nations in a international study, as the new research finds a possible $9,18-billion increase in the level of the country’s GDP after 10 years as artificial intelligence transforms the economy.
The Ayre Index, unveiled at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda, gives South Africa a score of 56.8 out of 100, above the youth AI readiness benchmark of 53. Only 15 Commonwealth countries reach or exceed that mark.
South Africa is the second-highest ranked African Commonwealth member, after Mauritius in eighth place, and finishes ahead of 43 other countries.
Produced by the Ayre Think Tank, founded by Antiguan-Canadian philanthropist Calvin Ayre, the Index brings together 1 128 research sources to assess the conditions that could help 732-million young people aged 15 to 29 benefit from AI across all 56 Commonwealth nations.
South Africa’s ranking comes alongside substantial enthusiasm for the technology. In the evidence examined, 88,2% of young South African respondents expected to use AI for education or work in the following year, and around half reported already using it for study.
In a separate survey of entrepreneurs aged 18 to 64 who were starting or running new businesses, 49,2% of South African respondents expected AI tools to be very important to their operations over the following three years – the highest proportion among the five Commonwealth countries with comparable findings.
The potential rewards are considerable. South Africa has approximately 16 million young people aged 15 to 29 and, applying 10-year economic scenarios developed by the International Monetary Fund to South Africa’s economy, the researchers calculate that AI could increase the level of the country’s GDP by $9,184-billion under their moderate scenario. The figure is $4,699-billion in the conservative case, rising to $13,670-billion under the optimistic scenario.
The findings also underline why turning readiness into opportunity matters. The research records unemployment among 46.3% of young South Africans in the labour force, while 39,6% of young people are outside employment, education and training.
Among young South Africans aged 18 to 29 who were starting businesses, 90,9% said a shortage of jobs was one reason for doing so – the highest proportion among seven Commonwealth countries with comparable figures. Yet just 0,8% of young people in that age group owned an established business.
These findings highlight the importance of helping young entrepreneurs build successful businesses that create jobs and lasting incomes.
There are also skills gaps to address if South Africa is to build on its strong position. In research conducted in 2024 and 2025, 63% of employed South African adults surveyed admitted relying on AI-generated information without checking its accuracy.
Although this survey did not specifically examine young people, it highlights the importance of developing practical AI skills and teaching people to question the information the technology produces, rather than simply accepting its answers.
Calvin Ayre, founder of the Ayre Think Tank, comments: “I’ve spent my life in businesses where new technology changes everything, and I know you can’t stand still. AI is going to change how we work, how we do business and how wealth is created. But this is not a race that only the biggest or richest countries can win. What matters is giving young people the skills and the chance to get ahead – whether to start businesses, find jobs or build something for themselves.
“Some Commonwealth countries are ahead, others have catching up to do. Nobody can afford to be complacent. That’s why we created this Index. It shows countries where they stand, what they’re getting right and where they need to do better. Governments now have to decide what they’re going to do about it.”
South Africa is already taking steps to turn its technological strengths into employment and business opportunities. In March 2026, the Department of Higher Education and Training signed an agreement with Google to provide an initial 10 000 scholarships for professional qualifications in areas including AI, cybersecurity and data analysis. The programme targets students and educators at public universities and training colleges, with particular attention to rural and township communities.
Microsoft and the Youth Employment Service are also helping young South Africans develop practical AI and digital skills. In May 2026, the organisations reported that more than 70 000 young people had already participated in digital learning programmes. These initiatives will help equip young South Africans with skills valued by employers, while stronger links between training and employment and greater support for entrepreneurs will help turn the country’s technological strengths into successful businesses, better jobs and rising incomes.
The White Paper identifies five priorities: affordable and reliable access to technology; education that develops practical skills; stronger routes from training into employment and enterprise; AI tools suited to local languages and needs; and safeguards that enable young people to question automated decisions.
It calls on governments, educators and development partners to better understand the particular barriers young people face in each country before deciding where investment can make the greatest impact.
Professor Justin Robinson, pro vice-chancellor and campus principal of the University of the West Indies, Five Islands Campus, says: “We need to make sure that the next generation will be able to do more than just consume AI products made elsewhere. Access must come with its own agency and a real equitable stake in how these systems are governed. Young people should be equipped to question these new tools, to improve them and to be supported in building alternatives suited to their own needs. Whether that happens, however, will depend on choices made now. This index gives us a clearer view of where those choices are most urgent. We should use it.”