Most elementary school students today will take jobs that have not yet existed, and these professions will require advanced AI skills. New research data from the University of Georgia shows that only 13 countries around the world are prioritizing comprehensive AI workforce training.
The study examines national AI strategies from 50 countries to understand how governments prepare their citizens for AI conversion workplaces. Since nearly half of the jobs are currently likely to disappear within two decades, the stakes are unlikely to be higher.
European leadership in AI training
Countries with dominant European countries have given high priority to AI workforce preparation, with 11 of the 13 top performances from Europe. Mexico and Australia are the only non-European countries to earn a high-level ranking.
“If you want to be competitive in other areas, it’s very important for employees to prepare to work with AI in the future,” explained Lehong Shi, the study’s author and assistant research scientist at UGA.
The United States has a moderately ranked AI workforce training priority of 23 countries, with fewer plans compared to high-priority countries. This classification suggests space to improve the US AI preparation method.
Various ways to prepare AI
Countries are taking different paths to develop labor force development. The study identified several common strategies:
- Establish AI-focused university courses in almost all research countries
- Improve K-12 AI education in many countries
- Provide industry-specific training programs and internships
- Create on-the-job training programs in more than half of the countries
- AI education started as early as Spain and other countries
Determined key skills gaps
Despite widespread focus on technical AI training, the study reveals research on supervision. Few countries emphasize human soft skills that AI cannot replicate.
“Human soft skills, such as creativity, collaboration and communication cannot be replaced by AI,” Shi said. “And only a few countries mentioned them.”
This gap represents an important blind spot in workforce preparation, as these unique human capabilities will become increasingly valuable in AI-led workplaces.
Cultural and resource factors
The concentration of high-performance countries in Europe may reflect more resources in the culture they have built in training programs and lifelong learning. Meanwhile, some Asian countries have chosen to prioritize AI applications in national security and healthcare over educational programs.
Germany embodies a comprehensive approach by emphasizing creating a culture that encourages interest from an early age. This long-term view is in stark contrast to a narrower technical training program.
Vulnerable groups are ignored
The study highlights another significant gap: few countries design AI training programs specifically for vulnerable groups such as the elderly or the unemployed. As AI changes the job market, this supervision may exacerbate existing inequalities.
Most national strategies focus on traditional educational institutions and current workers, with the potential to leave behind those who need to support technological change the most.
Looking to the future
The findings of this study are of great significance to both workforce development professionals and policy makers. The national risks of its citizens preparing for the AI integrated workplace are economically backward.
Shi’s research shows that effective AI workforce preparation requires more than just technical training – it requires a holistic approach to combining AI literacy with unique human skills. Countries that recognize this dual need may gain a huge competitive advantage.
As AI continues to reshape industries around the world, the race to build an AI-Ready workforce has just begun. Successful countries are likely to be those that start preparing citizens for their jobs that do not exist tomorrow.
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