EDWARD KIESWETTER: Qualifications still matter in the AI era

We stand at the dawn of an AI revolution. From diagnosing diseases with pinpoint accuracy to optimising global supply chains, AI is reshaping how we live and work. According to PwC, AI could add $15.7-trillion to the global economy by 2030, surpassing the combined GDP of China and India today.

With personal AI agents making knowledge instantly accessible, some question the relevance of a formal qualification. Why invest years in formal education when answers are a query away? The answer is clear: a degree remains a vital foundation for navigating and shaping an AI-driven world. 

A formal education is not just a credential; it is a crucible for developing uniquely human skills that AI cannot replicate. While AI excels at pattern recognition and automation, it lacks empathy to understand human needs, the creativity to forge new paths and the moral compass to tackle complex societal challenges. Higher education institutions, be they public or private, teach students to pose the right questions and gain critical skills in an era where defining problems is as important as solving them. As AI automates routine tasks, the ability to ask “why” and “what if” becomes a distinctly human edge. 

Consider the evidence. The World Economic Forum predicts that by 2030 50% of current skills will be obsolete, and 85% of jobs that will exist have not been invented yet.

A qualification equips graduates with intellectual agility to adapt to this fast-changing landscape. It fosters transdisciplinary thinking, enabling students to connect ideas across fields, something AI struggles to do.

For instance, at the SA Revenue Service, where I serve as commissioner, AI has revolutionised tax collection, eliminating the need for 60% of individual taxpayers to file returns, and produces assessments in under five seconds. AI models also detect fraud, profile risks and identify unregistered taxpayers, contributing more than R1-trillion in additional revenue over six years. Yet, these tools require human oversight to ensure fairness and ethical application, skills honed through rigorous education. 

A formal qualification also instils a sense of responsibility. As AI’s power grows so does the need for ethical leadership. Higher education institutions cultivate critical thinking and moral reasoning, preparing graduates to guide AI’s development with integrity. Without this we risk a future where technology amplifies bias or erodes trust. A formal qualification empowers individuals to translate complex AI-driven insights for policymakers, ensuring technology serves communities equitably.

Critics argue that AI democratises knowledge, reducing the need for formal education. But access to information is different from understanding. A formal qualification teaches students how to learn, question and adapt, skills that remain essential as AI reshapes industries. It is not about competing with AI but about harnessing it to amplify human potential. Graduates are uniquely positioned to lead innovation, orchestrating AI to solve problems creatively and ethically. 

As we step into this AI-driven future, higher education institutions remain a dynamic tool for shaping a world where technology and humanity coexist. Only humans can ask profound questions: why am I here? What is my purpose? These questions will define our future. Graduates must embrace their role as innovators, wielding AI to augment the infinite malleability of human potential. Far from obsolete, a formal qualification is the foundation for leading with curiosity, creating with purpose, and navigating the ethical complexities of an
AI-powered world. 

• Kieswetter is president of The DaVinci Institute, commissioner of the SA Revenue Service and chair of the World Customs Organisation.