Digitalisation, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Equity – How to strengthen the EU in the global race of future skills and education, while ensuring social inclusion

The rapid progress in digitalisation and AI challenges the EU to be well equipped to succeed in global competition. The improvement of skills and competences plays a key role here and requires the active development of education and training, which should also help people meet evolving demand and shape progress, by following its different forms and implications.

Digitalisation and AI are linked in several ways with education and skills development. They generate new demand for skills and competences, and also enable new ways of learning and teaching. Digital and AI techniques can also be used to anticipate changes in work and everyday life and thus in education and training needs. Moreover, education and training enable people to shape digital development.

It is also necessary in both the short and long term that the whole of society possesses at least basic digital skills. In addition to digital and AI literacy, general skills should include the ability to apply AI in creating and implementing innovative solutions in everyday life and work. This holds for people of all ages and all backgrounds, as well as people with disabilities, given the opportunities AI provides for them

The development of an EU strategy to enhance continuous, learner-centred learning, with digitalisation and the deployment of trustworthy AI at its heart is crucial . The strategy would outline close cooperation between policymakers, education providers, social partners and other civil society organisations with respect to digitalisation and AI and the related education and skills development.

As the social partners play a specific role defined by the Treaty regarding labour-related issues, they should be involved, in accordance with relevant national rules, in decisions concerning investments, technologies and the organisation of work.

The AI era requires a strong foundation in cross-cutting skills such as logical reasoning, critical thinking, creativity and interaction skills. It also needs solid competences in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), and in arts and social sciences. Ethical thinking and an entrepreneurial approach are also a central part of skills and competences of the AI era.

Inclusiveness requires that everyone has access to digital and AI technologies and to the necessary skills, irrespective of gender, age or socio-economic background. The role of public education is essential here. Non-formal education also plays a significant role in enhancing inclusiveness and active citizenship. Special attention should be paid to ensuring the skills of women and girls, as well as elderly people.

Competitiveness requires both top-level talent and a broad base of educated and skilled people. Professional qualifications must be adjusted constantly to match new developments and the competences needed. The EESC believes that new world-class talent can be best promoted through research projects. Cooperation projects with industry are one way of keeping talent in the EU and attracting foreign talent.

Close cooperation is vital between policymakers, education providers, social partners and other civil society organisations with respect to digitalisation and AI and the related education and skills development. As the social partners play a specific role defined by the Treaty regarding labour-related issues, they should be involved, in accordance with relevant national rules, in decisions concerning investments, technologies and the organisation of work.

What kind of skills and competences are most valid in the AI era?

Given that digitalisation and particularly AI have considerable implications for people’s everyday lives, and for the development of businesses, jobs and the work of the future, development and progress are needed at several cognitive levels. On one hand, it is about awareness, knowledge and understanding, and on the other hand about competences and skills. High-level competences and talents are necessary for success in global competition, but success also requires a comprehensive base of educated and skilled people.

It is obvious that people are not largely aware of the opportunities that digitalisation, AI and robotics provide to assist them, while concerns related to jobs, safety and privacy are clearly in evidence.

Why there is a need for greater awareness of the opportunities presented by digitalisation and AI for society at large?

More knowledge of the nature and functioning of AI is also necessary for people’s understanding and own critical thinking regarding where and how AI can be used. The need for greater understanding applies to employers and enterprises, employees, consumers and policymakers alike.

Moreover, the AI era calls for a capacity for ethical thinking in order to guide the development and use of digital solutions and AI in line with human rights. Besides human considerations, one should understand the environmental and climate aspects related to digitalisation and AI – both the opportunities these technologies provide and the risks they entail. These ethical and other considerations must be realised through participatory governance, which means involving civil society and the social partners in the different fields and processes.

How would these skills and competences be best acquired and enhanced?

The urgent short-term needs for developing competences and skills are related to narrowing the skills gap and correcting the skills mismatch in the labour market.

As it is ever more difficult to prepare for certain professions in the long-term, professional qualifications have to be adjusted constantly to match new developments and be based on a set of skills and competencies that are needed irrespective of exact developments.

It is relevant to ask which skills bring added value over machines and robots and which skills we want to keep anyway. This highlights the need for a strong foundation in cross-cutting skills such as logical reasoning, critical thinking, creativity and interpersonal and interaction skills.

The AI era emphasises the role of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), but also that of arts and social sciences. It also stresses the need for multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary competences to understand systemic phenomena and multidimensional problems that digitalisation and AI can be used to solve.

The change in work also emphasises the importance of entrepreneurial skills. They are needed not only by actual entrepreneurs but by everyone, to be able to manage one’s own work and life. These rapid changes also require adaptability and resilience at work and in society at large. Companies must seek ways to guarantee training for workers to facilitate such transitions in the world of work.

What kind of policies are needed at national and EU levels to promote this progress?

Diverse cooperation, communication and teaching skills are also needed in the AI era: Cooperation and communication between humans and intelligent systems, such as AI and robotics, become more general both at work and in everyday life. Moreover, AI and robotics are increasingly being taught, instead of programming only.

In addition to increased knowledge, competences and skills across the whole of society, high-level talent is needed to enable the EU to succeed in global competition and be at the forefront of innovation and investment in digitalisation and AI. Besides AI developers, more talented individuals and professionals are needed to apply AI in specific sectors, from manufacturing to services. All this requires advanced scientific, mathematical and technical competences.

Solid business skills are also a necessity to make use of the business opportunities provided by digitalisation and AI, for example in scaling up businesses. Given that trustworthy AI could be a competitive edge for the EU, ethics should be an essential part of the competences of all AI developers and users.

To succeed in the skills race, it is important to make full use of the whole potential of society. Special attention should be paid to women’s and girls’ digital skills and interest in STEM in order to get them more involved in the progress of digitalisation and AI. This would improve conditions in several sectors and in the economy and society as a whole, and help overcome gender bias related to data and technology.

G.Attard, ACR General Secretary

Source: SOC 662 Digitalisation, Al and Equity – How to strengthen the EU in the global race of future skills and education, while ensuring social inclusion