{"id":119580,"date":"2026-02-11T13:15:03","date_gmt":"2026-02-11T13:15:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/all-news\/between-fear-and-opportunity-in-ai-driven-workplaces"},"modified":"2026-02-11T13:20:55","modified_gmt":"2026-02-11T13:20:55","slug":"between-fear-and-opportunity-in-ai-driven-workplaces","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/all-news\/between-fear-and-opportunity-in-ai-driven-workplaces","title":{"rendered":"Between Fear and Opportunity in AI-Driven Workplaces"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Rwanda. <\/strong><\/span>Losing a job is every employee\u2019s worst nightmare. For Cyubahiro (not his real name), it became a harsh reality. He is one of 15 employees who were let go after their company adopted an AI-powered tool.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can say with certainty that we lost our jobs because of AI integration,\u201d Cyubahiro says, adding that some of them were top performers, and that was explicitly mentioned in the dismissal letters.<\/p>\n

Cyubahiro\u2019s experience reflects a global conversation: as companies embrace AI, are employees being empowered\u2014or quietly replaced?<\/p>\n

AI has rapidly become a core part of the modern workplace. Once mainly used for simple queries or student assignments, AI-powered tools now play a role in customer service, finance, marketing, software development, and operations.<\/p>\n

For businesses, the benefits are clear: speed, efficiency, accuracy, and cost reduction. For employees like Cyubahiro, however, the rise of AI raises pressing questions about job security and adaptation.<\/p>\n

Cyubahiro worked as a customer support executive at a global fintech branch in Kigali, acting as a bridge between customers and an online trading platform.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I was hired, fluency in specific languages and a bachelor\u2019s degree were essential,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome days were hectic, others lighter, but there was always work. When AI came in, the company\u2019s energy shifted. Training ramped up, conversations about AI dominated, and everything moved fast.\u201d<\/p>\n

At first, he didn\u2019t expect the technology to impact his role. But after the introduction of an AI-powered chatbot, his workload began to shrink.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat used to take 40 people could now be done by the bot in a short time,\u201d Cyubahiro says. \u201cRoles became redundant, and the company opted for restructuring.\u201d<\/p>\n

A global trend backed by data<\/b><\/p>\n

Cyubahiro\u2019s story aligns with findings in the World Economic Forum\u2019s Future of Jobs Report 2025, which identifies digital access as a transformative trend shaping businesses by 2030. Eighty percent of employers expect AI and digital technologies to transform operations, while 58 percent cite robotics and automation as major disruptors.<\/p>\n

Experts, however, differ on what this means for workers. Carl Mabuka, Head of Business and AI at Global Kwik Koders and co-founder of RWAiGHT, believes fears around AI are overblown.<\/p>\n

\u201cAI won\u2019t take jobs\u2014people who use it effectively will,\u201d Mabuka says, comparing today\u2019s moment to the introduction of the combustion engine in the early 1900s. \u201cPeople feared that too. Technology didn\u2019t destroy opportunity\u2014it created new industries and roles.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Mabuka, the challenge lies in how fast individuals and organisations adapt. \u201cBusiness is about efficiency and value. The problem isn\u2019t AI\u2014it\u2019s how quickly people adjust.\u201d<\/p>\n

Carl Mabuka, Head of Business and AI at Global Kwik Koders and co-founder of RWAiGHT<\/p>\n

He urges workers to view AI as a productivity partner, not a threat. \u201cIf you have access to a smartphone or laptop with internet, it would be unwise not to skill up. Stick to your lane, but integrate AI into your work.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yet he acknowledges that repetitive roles are more vulnerable to automation. \u201cFuture growth will favor creativity, empathy, human-centered design, and AI development. AI skills are already in high demand. These times aren\u2019t scary\u2014they\u2019re exciting, depending on perspective.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mabuka also notes local opportunities: AI tools still struggle with languages like Kinyarwanda and Swahili, leaving room for human-centered customer service.<\/p>\n

\u201cEmployers prioritise results over process,\u201d he adds. \u201cIf one employee produces in one day what another does in a week, the math is simple. Those who adapt slowly will be left behind. Some jobs will disappear\u2014and learning AI isn\u2019t a guarantee.\u201d<\/p>\n

A more cautious perspective<\/b><\/p>\n

Philbert Murwanashyaka, co-founder of YALI Lab, sees a genuine risk for many modern white-collar roles.<\/p>\n

\u201cJobs like data entry, junior accounting, receptionists, and personal assistants are highly automatable,\u201d he warns. \u201cSome junior positions may vanish entirely.\u201d<\/p>\n

Philbert Murwanashyaka, co-founder of YALI Lab.<\/p>\n

Even software development isn\u2019t immune. \u201cAI tools are performing tasks that junior developers used to handle. Often, only senior oversight is now required.\u201d<\/p>\n

Murwanashyaka stresses that simply learning to use AI isn\u2019t enough. \u201cWe need to understand how AI works\u2014how models operate, how decisions are made. That knowledge will matter more in the long run.\u201d<\/p>\n

He notes that blue-collar professions\u2014plumbing, electrical work, technical trades\u2014remain safer because they rely on physical skills and human presence.<\/p>\n

Where both sides agree<\/b><\/p>\n

Despite their differences, experts converge on one point: continuous learning is no longer optional.<\/p>\n

At the Global AI Summit on Africa in April last year, Fred Swaniker, founder and CEO of Sand Technologies, posed a challenge to young professionals: \u201cHow many of you would like an extra thirty points in IQ?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you don\u2019t learn generative AI, you\u2019re leaving those points on the table,\u201d he said. AI literacy is becoming a prerequisite for competitiveness in today\u2019s economy.<\/p>\n

A workforce at a crossroads<\/b><\/p>\n

Stories like Cyubahiro\u2019s underline the urgency of the moment. The debate is no longer whether AI will shape work, but who will be left behind and who will adapt.<\/p>\n

Experts say the key question for employees today isn\u2019t if AI is coming\u2014it\u2019s whether they\u2019ll be ready when it arrives.<\/p>\n\r\n