The Nexus of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Entrepreneurship in Higher Education Skills Development: A Review
Mzweleni Fundani Mthethwa 
, Unathi Kolanisi & Krishna Denver Naidoo
Issue: Vol. 6 No.12 Article 39 pp.3437 – 3455
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.202561239 | Published online 28th November, 2025
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
The intersection of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and entrepreneurship in higher education presents a transformative opportunity to address South Africa’s persistent unemployment crisis while equipping students with the critical digital competencies they need. This review explored how AI-driven tools and pedagogies enhance entrepreneurship education, particularly in rural and resource-constrained institutions. Grounded in the thinking economy model, which prioritizes intellectual capital, innovation, and adaptability, this paper synthesized the theoretical literature. The findings indicate that adaptive learning platforms, business simulations, and case-based methodologies cultivate critical thinking, market analysis, and product innovation skills. Ethical concerns, including algorithmic bias and data privacy, underscore the need for responsible integration of AI. Through interdisciplinary curriculum reform, capacity building, and alignment with national digital transformation agendas, higher education institutions can develop socially accountable, innovation-oriented graduates capable of driving inclusive growth in the AI era.
Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Entrepreneurship Education, Thinking Economy, Adaptive Learning, Ethical AI
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Professor Unathi Kolanisi is a Professor in the Department of Consumer Sciences and an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Food Security Programme. She has an extensive academic record, having published numerous manuscripts, contributed to book chapters, and supervised over 70 postgraduate students, including 13 PhDs. Her international collaborations include partnerships with Umeå University (Sweden) and the University of Ghana. Also a mentor for BRICS Student Commission at University of Zululand. Prof. Kolanisi has completed multiple leadership, facilitation, and research training programmes, and is currently enrolled in Advanced Leadership at UKZN. She is actively involved in interdisciplinary teaching and international projects, including the GROWNUT collaboration with institutions in DR Congo, Norway, and South Africa, as well as SADC Vulnerability Assessment courses. Her work focuses on bridging theory and practicing community-engaged learning with NGOs and CBOs. Her research interests include food and nutrition security, indigenous food innovation, commercialization, and climate change.
Mzweleni Fundani Mthethwa is an emerging economist, researcher, and academic currently pursuing a Doctor of Commerce (DCom) in Economics at the University of Zululand. His academic work focuses on digital technology, innovation, indigenous knowledge on entrepreneurship, and rural livelihoods. This reflects a deep commitment to research-driven socio-economic transformation. With previous research exploring inequality, social spending, inflation, wage rate, and labour productivity, Mthethwa continues to build a strong scholarly foundation grounded in African development priorities.Mthethwa currently works for the Moses Kotane Research Institute (MKRI), an institution dedicated to producing evidence-based research that informs policy and supports socio-economic development within KwaZulu-Natal and beyond. His role aligns with his longstanding passion for community-centred research, economic innovation, and strengthening rural and township economies through sustainable development strategies.
Krishna Denver Naidoo is a Lecturer and Researcher at the African Centre for Food Security, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. He holds a PhD in Food Security, specialising in transdisciplinary approaches to food and nutrition security. His research focuses on smallholder farmer development, agricultural extension, and the Water–Energy–Food–Ecosystems (WEFE) nexus, with an emphasis on strengthening household food and nutrition security and building climate-resilient farming communities. Denver works at the intersection of food systems, climate change, health, and sustainability, with a strong commitment to translating research into practice through extension and community engagement. He has supervised postgraduate students at master’s and doctoral levels, contributes to research capacity development, and has a growing interest in Teaching and Learning Pedagogy to enhance student engagement and academic success.His broader interests include climate–food–nutrition linkages, indigenous crops, and product development. He is a Golden Key member, serves on the National Department of Agriculture Advisory Committee, and participates in Water Research Commission reference groups.
Mthethwa, Mzweleni Fundani, Unathi Kolanisi, and Krishna Denver Naidoo. “The Nexus of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Entrepreneurship in Higher Education Skills Development: A Review,” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 6, no. 12 (2025): 3437 – 3455, https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.202561239
© 2025 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
