Can artificial intelligence help South Africa’s unemployed youth find work? A researcher at the University of Cape Town (UCT) is betting on it and has secured a global grant to put the idea to the test.
Dr Tim Köhler, a senior research officer at UCT’s school of economics, has been awarded a prestigious international grant to investigate whether AI can improve job prospects for unemployed youth.
He is one of just 19 early-career researchers worldwide selected from 300 applicants to receive funding from Schmidt Sciences’ AI at Work programme, which is investing more than $3m (about R47.5m) in studies on how generative AI is reshaping work.
Köhler’s project is the only South African-led study in the global cohort and will provide the first rigorous evidence from a developing-country context on how a generative AI-powered career guidance tool affects job-search outcomes for unemployed youth.
Youth unemployment is one of the country’s urgent challenges. According to StatsSA, about 60% of the labour force aged 15 to 24 and 40% of those aged 25 to 34 are unemployed.
“A variety of factors explain these high rates, but for young jobseekers, severe information constraints can play a particularly important role,” said Köhler. “They may not know which career paths are viable given their circumstances, what skills employers are actually looking for, or how to navigate both formal and informal labour markets.”
He believes that South Africa offers a critical testing ground. “If AI can help young people navigate these complexities here, the lessons are likely to be relevant for many other countries across the continent and the Global South.”
The AI at Work programme, run by US-based non-profit Schmidt Sciences, supports research into how AI affects productivity, wages, employment and careers. Awardees represent institutions across eight countries.
“This award places UCT and South Africa more broadly at the forefront of an emerging global conversation about AI and work,” said Köhler. “One that has so far been dominated by evidence from high-income countries.”
The study will test an AI-based career guidance tool designed for unemployed young people. It is being co-designed with a Cape Town technology firm and shaped by input from NGOs, researchers and government stakeholders working in youth employment.
Powered by large language models and built for low-bandwidth environments, the tool will act as a personalised, interactive assistant accessible on phones or computers.
“Through a simple conversational interface, users can receive guidance tailored to their own circumstances,” said Köhler. “That might include identifying realistic job opportunities, improving a CV, preparing for interviews, or considering training or self-employment pathways when formal jobs are limited.”
He said the aim was not only to provide more information but to deliver better, context-specific guidance.
“Many young people receive generic advice that doesn’t reflect local labour market conditions or their personal circumstances. We want to see whether more relevant, personalised, dynamic guidance can help improve decision-making and, ultimately, well-being.”
The project will use a randomised controlled trial, the gold standard for measuring impact, to track whether the tool changes employment outcomes, confidence, and job-search behaviour. The study will also examine unintended consequences, such as reinforcing inequalities or raising expectations without improving access to opportunities.
“Our expectation is not that AI is a silver bullet for solving unemployment,” said Köhler. “But if well designed, it may help ease specific constraints young people face as they try to navigate the labour market.
If successful, the tool could become a scalable, low-cost complement to existing employment and training programmes.
“For policy makers, the findings can help inform whether and how digital tools should form part of a broader youth employment strategy,” said Köhler. “For educators and training providers, the results may highlight the value of personalised guidance.”
“Ultimately, the aim is to support more grounded and responsible approaches to using technology as part of a wider effort to expand opportunities for young people and reduce poverty and inequality.”
TimesLIVE
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.