Tech behemoth Cisco and a veritable who’s who of the tech world, including Accenture, Eightfold, Google, IBM, Indeed, Intel, Microsoft, and SAP, have united their strengths and expertise to form the AI-Enabled Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Workforce Consortium. This alliance, driven by a shared vision, is poised to prepare the global workforce for the impending large-scale adoption of AI.
Cisco top brass, Francine Katsoudas, said, “AI is turbocharging the global workforce transformation, and it’s high time the private sector stepped up to the plate to upskill and reskill workers for the future.”
The newly formed consortium is not waiting for the AI revolution to catch up. It is on a mission to arm organisations with the knowledge of AI’s impact on the workforce and equip workers with the necessary skills. “We’re taking the first crucial step to ensure the AI revolution leaves no one in the dust,” Katsoudas added.
Inspired by the US-EU Trade and Technology Council’s Talent for Growth Task Force, the consortium will investigate AI’s impact on ICT job roles and facilitate workers’ access to relevant training programmes.
Eightfold AI’s CEO, Ashutosh Garg, said, “The essence of work is evolving at a breakneck pace. Our Talent Intelligence Platform empowers business leaders to adapt swiftly to this changing landscape.”
Accenture’s Ellyn Shook emphasised the importance of reskilling people to work with AI, stating, “Reskilling people to work with AI is paramount in every industry.”
Google’s Lisa Gevelber pledged their commitment to making AI skills training universally accessible. At the same time, IBM’s Gian Luigi Cattaneo underlined the collective responsibility of industry leaders to prepare the workforce for the AI era.
In a nutshell, the AI-Enabled ICT Workforce Consortium is all set to equip workers with the skills needed for the AI era. But it’s not just about the skills. It’s about ensuring an inclusive and resilient workforce for the future, where no one is left behind.
