New UAE Initiative Aims to Prepare Workforce for AI Advancements
In a bid to ensure that the UAE workforce remains ahead in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), a new initiative was announced on Wednesday. The initiative, unveiled by Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, aims to reskill, retool, and retire UAE employees.
During the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting of the Global Future Councils 2023, Al Olama explained the purpose of the initiative. He stated, “If someone is going to be augmented by AI, we want to retool them to actually be able to use these tools, and if someone is a year or two from retirement and has no interest in retooling, they have the option of retiring early.”
The minister further added that for those individuals whose job roles are at risk of being completely displaced by AI, the government programs will ensure their complete reskilling into a new job class that will not face such displacement. However, the exact timeline and implementation details of the program are yet to be disclosed.
In addition to discussing the AI initiative, the Annual Meeting of the Global Future Councils 2023 also addressed various challenges related to sustainable development, women empowerment, data equity, and the interconnection between climate and human development.
Badr Jafar, CEO of Crescent Enterprises, highlighted the need for an integrated approach to address the climate agenda along with the human development and nature agenda. Emphasizing the interdependence between different factors, Nili Gilbert, vice-chairwoman of Carbon Direct in the USA, called for organizing ourselves as an ecosystem to effectively tackle challenges.
Lauren Woodman, CEO of DataKind in the US, stressed the significance of data equity in responding to social challenges. She emphasized the importance of maintaining a human-centered focus while utilizing the promising opportunities offered by technology.
Reshma Saujani, founder and CEO of Moms First, focused on empowering women in AI and future-oriented fields. Highlighting the existing gender disparities in many countries, Saujani highlighted the need for a supportive framework for women to thrive.
The Annual Meeting of the Global Future Councils 2023 was held in Dubai from October 16-18. With 600 experts from academia, government, international organizations, business, and civil society, the event aimed to foster collaboration and address pressing global issues.
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