In personAI Skills Coalition
Invitation only

Closing the AI skills gap: A global call to action

  • Date
    24 September 2026
    Timeframe
    11:00 - 12:30 EST, New York
    Duration
    1:30

      Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping economies, jobs and public services, making AI skills increasingly critical to countries’ ability to capture its benefits. The World Development Report 2026 estimates that 16.2% of jobs in developing economies could experience meaningful productivity gains from AI, while the ILO estimates that one in four workers globally is already in an occupation exposed to generative AI. Yet significant divides remain: 2.2 billion people are still offline, and gaps in skills, infrastructure and institutional capacity risk leaving developing economies behind. In Sub-Saharan Africa alone, the IMF estimates that effective AI adoption could add around 4% cumulatively to GDP over the next decade.

      Realizing this potential while preventing existing divides from widening will require coordinated action to build AI capabilities at scale. The AI Skills Coalition brings together governments, international organizations, industry, academia and civil society to translate the AI opportunity into skills, jobs and inclusive development. Convened on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly and co-hosted by ITU and the World Bank, this high-level meeting will present the Coalition’s 2026–2030 Strategy and mobilize partnerships, resources and commitments for its implementation.

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