‘How reskilling for AI could unlock new jobs’

Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to enhance job quality, create new roles, and elevate the value of uniquely human skills such as creativity, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence.

Speaking at the latest ILO webinar in the AI for Good Series, experts that included James Bessen, Executive Director of Boston University’s Technology and Policy Research Initiatives, who served as the keynote speaker at the event, ‘What will AI do to our work?’ he insisted that despite widespread fears of artificial intelligence causing mass unemployment, the technology had the potential to lead to long term job growth and economic development.

“Automation is going to happen more positively when workers are provided with the skills and capabilities to make the most of it,” he said, adding that the challenge was to move away from a world where people are only educated when they are young with the belief the skills will last their entire working life. We have to change the way our educational institutions work to develop lifelong learning. We need to develop ways of allowing workers to develop new skills working with the new technology, and we need to encourage institutions so that new skills will lead to higher pay,” he explained.

The webinar, which was held last week, was moderated by Pawel Gmyrek, ILO senior researcher.ILO said the event was part of a larger thematic series on AI and Work, co-hosted by the ILO and ITU as part of a collaboration between AI for Good and the ILO AI Observatory.

However, the workshop noted that Artificial intelligence may replace some jobs, but it can also transform tasks within occupations, enabling workers to focus on higher-value activities, which can lead to new approaches and skills.

As AI handles repetitive or routine tasks, demand increases for uniquely human skills such as complex problem-solving, and interpersonal communication.
Drawing on examples from past technological revolutions, Bessen explained that periods of job displacement due to industry developments have historically been followed by long-term job growth and economic development.

Bessen noted that there were some risks of AI misuse, such as increased employee surveillance or invasions of privacy, and insisted that where the
introduction of technology had worked best it had not, “Antagonized workers, if anything it involved their participation.”

The ILO Observation on Artificial Intelligence and Work in the Digital Economy is the leading international knowledge hub on the world-of-work dimensions of AI and the digital economy.

It aims to support governments and social partners in understanding and managing the digital transformation of work through upskilling, standard-setting, and the advancement of AI governance for sustainable development.