On 4 February 2025, IOE and KAS convened an interactive multistakeholder dialogue on the intersection of Artificial Intelligence (AI), skills development and job creation, emphasizing the importance of multilateral partnerships with the UN, private sector, employers and civil society to foster sustainable economic development.
Key takeaways from the discussion:
- The importance of multilateral partnerships with governments, workers, employers, the UN system and civil society. Participants underscored that we will not see sustainable economic development without partnerships with the private sector – there must be mutual understanding and open dialogue between business, government and the UN. UN Resident Coordinators similarly emphasized how business actively engaged in developing UN Cooperation Frameworks and in localizing the SDGs. Participants stressed the importance of working with companies to promote sustainable and socially responsible policies.
- AI is a powerful driver of economic growth and is essential for SDG 8. The private sector plays a crucial role in leading breakthroughs in AI and must ally with governments to close the digital divide and avoid amplifying existing employment biases. Universal access to electricity, the internet, and basic digital skills were stressed as priorities. As one example of progress in the Latin American region, Chile developed a national strategy and human-rights based legal framework for ethical AI governance and is taking steps to advance gender equality and women’s employment.
- Social dialogue between employers, workers, and governments is crucial to achieve common ground and help stakeholders achieve the SDGs. In this light, several concrete examples of public private partnerships with employers were shared. IOE showcased the ‘Bahrain Model’ for youth entrepreneurship and mentorship as a best practice. Employer federations highlighted the urgency to engage development agencies in upskilling and the transformation to formality. Participants highlighted the Alliance 8.7 and the coalition to ensure progress on SDG 8.5, the Secretary-General’s Global Accelerator for Jobs, and ongoing work on living wage as good examples where the private sector is a meaningful partner.
- Skills development, transforming education and the future of work. Calls were made to prioritize global partnerships to ensure that AI generated job growth benefits everyone. Business can play a role in increasing private investment for skills development, ensuring labor forces globally are equipped to leverage the benefits of AI. Representatives from the private sector urged continuous upskilling with the support of multilateral partnerships, education and apprenticeships as the use of AI increases within an evolving landscape of employment issues.
