ITU, Global Partners Work to Close AI Skills, Access Gap
Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft, the East Africa Community, and Cognizant are among over 25 global organizations that will be key contributors to the AI Skills Coalition, a project launched by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) aimed at closing the global AI skills gap and ensuring equal access to AI education.
The AI for Good initiative, led by ITU, the United Nations Agency for Digital Technologies, revealed the coalition’s members during the World Economic Forum’s annual gathering in Davos, where ITU will spotlight the significance of digital technologies in fostering a sustainable future.
The AI Skills Coalition will serve as an online hub for AI education and capacity building, encouraging inclusive participation in the AI revolution by providing open, accessible training on generative AI, machine learning, and using AI for sustainable development.
The AI Skills Coalition is supporting the execution of the United Nations Pact for the Future and Global Digital Compact, responding urgently to global calls for AI capacity building, and addressing the growing AI skills gap to ensure equitable access to opportunities in an AI-driven world.
ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin emphasized: “Let’s make sure everyone has a chance to learn the skills they need to benefit from the AI revolution.”
“Our new AI Skills Coalition is aiming to train thousands of people this year, especially those living in regions of the world just getting started on their AI journey, as part of our commitment to ensure that all communities can fully participate in our shared digital future.”
A recent research cited in the AI for Good Impact Report, published by ITU and Deloitte, revealed that 94 percent of global business leaders view artificial intelligence as essential for their organization’s success. However, barriers such as insufficient technical skills, the need for widespread upskilling and reskilling, and building trust in emerging technologies are preventing broader AI adoption worldwide.
As a flagship program of ITU’s AI for Good Impact Initiative and part of the UN’s collective efforts to bridge the global digital divide, the AI Skills Coalition will offer educational resources to enhance future skills and address global inequalities in AI knowledge—referred to as the “AI skills gap.”
Through this initiative, the program tackles the underrepresentation of marginalized groups like women, youth, and persons with disabilities in the development of AI products and services.
Kate Behncke, Global Head of Microsoft Philanthropies, stated: “Generative AI is rapidly transforming the workforce, with LinkedIn data showing a 142 times global increase in professionals adding AI aptitude skills in just one year.”
“Recognizing this growing demand, we are proud to work with the ITU AI Skills Coalition to provide access to AI skills training, certifications, and capacity-building for policymakers, IT professionals, and organizational leaders.”
As part of the initiative, ITU will collaborate with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to utilize UNDP’s presence in over 170 countries and territories to deliver AI capacity building directly to partner nations.
Achim Steiner, Administrator of UNDP, commented: “Capacity development is the number one asks from the developing countries that we work in. As part of this Coalition, we will work with our partners to deliver crucial foundational AI training, so that policymakers and national governments can responsibly harness AI to achieve sustainable development.”
The AI Skills Coalition represents ITU’s latest global initiative to centralize AI education resources with a particular focus on underserved and marginalized groups.
