SABC Plus to Host Microsoft AI Skills Initiative for Millions

JOHANNESBURG (Azat TV) – SABC Plus, the digital platform of the South African Broadcasting Corporation, is set to significantly expand its public service role by integrating Microsoft’s AI and digital skills training, a partnership announced at the 2026 Microsoft AI Tour Johannesburg. This collaboration aims to equip millions of South Africans with crucial digital literacy, fundamentally reshaping SABC Plus into a national hub for accessible education in the rapidly evolving digital economy.

The initiative, unveiled on January 30, 2026, at the Sandton Convention Centre, marks a strategic move to address the growing demand for AI competencies across the nation. By leveraging SABC Plus’s extensive reach, the partnership seeks to democratize access to essential digital education, aligning with broader national efforts to prepare the workforce for future employment opportunities.

SABC Plus: A New Digital Education Hub

The core of this collaboration involves making Microsoft’s comprehensive AI and digital skills modules available on-demand through the SABC Plus platform. Learners will have the opportunity to engage with these modules, complete assessments, and earn recognized digital badges. These credentials are designed to boost employability in a job market where AI-related skills are increasingly valued.

According to LinkedIn, job postings requiring AI skills surged by 70% year-on-year, underscoring the critical need for widespread access to such training. This partnership transforms SABC Plus beyond a content streaming service into a pivotal educational resource, offering practical pathways for individuals to enhance their career prospects and contribute to South Africa’s digital transformation.

Bridging South Africa’s Digital Skills Gap

The new program builds upon Microsoft South Africa’s existing AI Skills Initiative, which has already trained 1.4 million people and credentialed nearly 500,000 South Africans. The integration with SABC Plus is expected to dramatically amplify this reach, embedding critical skills into the daily lives of millions, regardless of their geographical location or economic standing.

Tiara Pathon, Microsoft’s Elevate AI Skills Director, emphasized the transformative potential of artificial intelligence. “AI can be a powerful bridge to opportunity. By partnering with the SABC, we aim to embed skills into daily life for millions of South Africans,” Pathon stated. This sentiment was echoed by SABC COO Lungile Binza, who highlighted SABC Plus’s role as a national platform for accessible education. “This partnership ensures innovation serves the public good and prepares South Africans for the digital era,” Binza confirmed.

Microsoft’s Broader Commitment to AI Literacy

This initiative is part of Microsoft’s wider commitment to fostering digital literacy and inclusion, encompassing programs such as ElevateHer, which focuses on empowering women, Civic AI, and the YES 50K Certification Programme for youth and non-profits. The collaboration with SABC Plus represents a significant expansion of these efforts, targeting a national scale through a trusted public broadcaster.

By providing accessible, on-demand learning, the partnership addresses a key barrier to digital skills acquisition, offering a flexible and user-friendly approach to education. The goal is to ensure that a broad spectrum of the population can acquire the necessary skills to thrive in an economy increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence.

The partnership between Microsoft and SABC Plus represents a significant evolution in the role of public broadcasting platforms, moving beyond traditional content delivery to become essential infrastructure for national digital skills development, thereby directly addressing economic disparities and future workforce needs.