New research claims that the vast majority (92%) of ICT-related jobs will undergo moderate to high transformations in the coming years due to the growth of AI.
The report from the AI-Enabled ICT Workforce Consortium, led by Cisco and including companies such as SAP, Microsoft and IBM among its members, notes that software development and business management positions, which are expected to see growth rates of 61% and 48% respectively, could be particularly affected by the changes.
She added that foundational skills are needed in response to the rise of new technologies, such as AI fluency, rapid engineering and data analytics, and suggested that an increase in the relevance of skills such as AI ethics, LLM architecture and agile methodologies will push more traditional roles aside.
Employer commitments
In response to the rapidly changing digital landscape, many companies have committed to training their employees in basic ICT skills. Lisa Gevelber, Founder of Grow with Google confirmed,
“The benefits of AI must be accessible to all workers. We are proud to support the Consortium’s new research, which will advance our shared vision of equipping all workers with the AI skills they need to succeed in the jobs of today and tomorrow.”
Cisco itself has committed to training 25 million people in cybersecurity and digital skills by 2032. Intel and IBM have committed to helping 30 million people gain AI skills and digital skills respectively by 2030.
Google also announced more than $130 million in funding to support AI training and skills for workers in the United States, Europe, Africa, Latin America and the Asia-Pacific region.
“AI represents an unprecedented opportunity for technology to benefit humanity at every level. We must act intentionally to ensure that people are not left behind,” said Francine Katsoudas, director of people, policy and purpose at Cisco and founding member of the AI-Enabled ICT Workforce Consortium. “By investing in a long-term roadmap for an inclusive workforce, we can help everyone participate and thrive in the age of AI.”
