Research: How the world is preparing the workforce for AI

New research from the University of Georgia is shedding light on how different countries are preparing for how AI will impact their workforces.

According to previous research, almost half of today’s jobs could vanish over the next 20 years. But it’s not all doom and gloom. Researchers also estimate that 65% of current elementary school students will have jobs in the future that don’t exist now. Most of these new careers will require advanced AI skills and knowledge.

To tackle these challenges, governments around the world are taking steps to help their citizens gain the skills they’ll need. The present study examined 50 countries’ national AI strategies, focusing on policies for education and the workforce.

Learning what other countries are doing could help the U.S. improve its own plans for workforce preparation in the era of AI, the researcher said.

“AI skills and competencies are very important,” said Lehong Shi, author of the study and an assistant research scientist in UGA’s Mary Frances Early College of Education. “If you want to be competitive in other areas, it’s very important to prepare employees to work with AI in the future.”

Read the full story in UGA Today.