South African businesses are facing mounting pressure to modernise as artificial intelligence rapidly reshapes the workplace, with tech leaders warning that rising AI costs, ageing infrastructure and digital sovereignty concerns could leave companies struggling to compete in a fast-changing global economy.

Legacy infrastructure, rising costs and skills shortages top local concerns as global AI hype distracts from fundamentals, executives say.

South African businesses are facing mounting pressure to modernise as artificial intelligence rapidly reshapes the workplace, with tech leaders warning that rising AI costs,…