The Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa (IITPSA) will host its inaugural Workforce Intelligence Conference on 30 October 2026 at the Emperor’s Palace in Johannesburg. The event is set to focus on the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on the national ICT sector, specifically addressing concerns regarding job displacement and the shifting demands for professional skills.
Addressing The AI Labour Shift
The conference will serve as the platform for the official release of the 2026 ICT Skills Survey, a comprehensive study conducted by Africa Analysis. Through this research, the IITPSA aims to map the sentiment of both employers and practitioners as the local industry navigates the rapid adoption of generative and agentic AI.
AI is potentially the most disruptive technology in the modern workplace. As AI adoption grows, key questions are: will ICT jobs be lost? Will employers upskill and reassign workers to higher value roles? And do ICT professionals see AI as a threat or an opportunity?
Speaking on the necessity of the study, IITPSA president Pearl Pasi noted that the findings will form the basis of discussions on how the sector can adapt to technological disruption. IITPSA general manager Kelvin Nhlapo added that the organisation identified an urgent need to evaluate how these technologies influence professional stability in the short and medium term.
Generative AI and Agentic AI are now driving such profound change within organisations that we felt the time was right to assess sentiment around the technology and look into how it is likely to impact ICT jobs in the short and medium term.
Professional Development And Future Trends
The conference will conclude with the IITPSA President’s Awards 2026, an evening gala intended to celebrate excellence within the South African information technology profession. By synthesising survey data with expert dialogue, the institute intends to bridge the gap between current workforce capabilities and the evolving needs of the digital economy.
The event is expected to influence future policy and educational initiatives as South African businesses work to mitigate the risks of automation while maximising the benefits of AI integration. Following the conference, the organisation plans to distribute the full analytical report to industry stakeholders to guide upcoming professional development programmes.