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Article31 May 2024

What Machines Can’t Master

Human Skills to Thrive in the Age of AI

Which human skills will come to the fore as artificial intelligence advances?

It’s a question that comes up time and again. A new report from Citi GPS seeks to answer it.

We frame the debate around six key problems and potential solutions, building on previous Citi reports about how technology, including AI, will impact the future of work. 

Problem 1 – AI will continue to advance, surpassing humans in many tasks.

Solution – We need greater emphasis on the areas in which humans will maintain competitive advantage versus AI.

Problem 2 – Most people don’t know what the human skills of the future will be.

Solution – We ask 28 experts across a range of fields what they think the skills of the future will be, and why. 

Problem 3 – How do we prepare for these essential human skills?

Solution – We summarize the expert views on how companies, education and policy can help, concluding that change is needed now. 

Problem 4 – How do we better measure the human skills that will be increasingly important?

Solution – We are over-emphasizing the measurement of areas in which AI will surpass us and we need to get better at providing credentials for durable human skills.

Problem 5 – How do we then better share skill credentials?

Solution – Verified and interoperable skill wallets will grow to save time and money for individuals and companies. They are likely to become a new norm.

Problem 6 – Everyone knows that upskilling and reskilling are a big part of the answer to how humans adapt to AI, but so far this appears more rhetoric than reality.

Solution – We see a trend change in learning & development driven by AI training, investment in skills training, coaching and psychological testing.

We think this report will be of interest to employers, educationalists, policy makers, employees, students and parents.

Increased awareness and debate is however only part of the story. As many experts we talked to note, we need action and execution.

AI is not waiting for anyone. The race between AI’s progress and the human ability to adapt has already started.

Read the full report now. To access more Citi GPS reports click here

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