Emirates: The future of a person’s employability could soon depend on how well they can use AI. That is according to experts in the UAE. “Artificial Intelligence is here for the long term,” said Muhammad Khalid, Founder and CEO of AIREV.

“Almost 40 per cent of global employment is exposed to AI with a higher percentage (60 per cent) in advanced economies. The gains made in productivity and optimisation has the potential to lead towards higher growth and higher incomes for most workers.”

His comments come after the launch of the Dubai Universal Blueprint for Artificial Intelligence — a yearly plan focused on harnessing the potential of technology. The first phase of the plan for this year will work on appointing a Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer in every government entity in Dubai. It will also launch AI and Web3 incubators as well as announce an AI Week in educational institutions.

According to another expert, organisations and people will have to continue adapting. “What will set firms apart is how well they can integrate technology in,” said Vasudha Khandeparkar, Analytics and AI Director at Grant Thornton. “Job roles will also change, with technology becoming more of an enabler to boost productivity and economic growth.”

Job opportunities

The impact of AI will be most definitively seen in almost every industry. Earlier this year, the chief of International Monetary Fund (IMF) Kristalina Georgieva said almost 40 per cent of jobs will be “exposed to artificial intelligence”, calling it a “tsunami” that would hit the labour market.

The technology will also bring with it a range of opportunities. “There will be new job opportunities within the AI sector, ranging from developers to data scientists,” said Abdallah Abu Sheikh, Founder and CEO of Astra Tech and Botim. “Also as technology progresses, jobs are progressing too. For example, AI-driven chatbots and virtual assistants now handle basic customer inquiries. Similarly, in transportation, the introduction of autonomous vehicles may alter the roles of workers, who may need to oversee and maintain the systems instead.”

Abdallah further said that to prepare for jobs, people must embrace a shift in mindset. “It's essential to understand that AI is not a threat to job security,” he said. “Rather, it's a tool designed to assist and augment human capabilities. Recognising that we hold the power to leverage AI for our benefit is crucial.”

Impacting education

According to Mohammed, the changes could impact the way students are taught. “The successful use of AI can be attributed not by one's ability to find answers, but rather, the ability to ask the right questions,” he said. “This almost inverts traditional education models which focuses on how we are expected to provide the right answer to a given question. So, educational programs will need to recalibrate in this regard as it certainly is a new approach towards thought and critical reasoning.”

Vasudha suggested that despite all the changes, some things are the same and AI could have several positive impacts too. “What hasn't change and will remain is how we use that knowledge to solve a problem at hand,” she said. “This is an area where machines don't do well. They even hallucinate or make up information at times. From a student learning perspective, there is an amazing opportunity with AI to personalize learning so every child can have an education pathway suited to their pace and style.”