Accenture, Cisco, Eightfold, Google, IBM, Indeed, Intel, Microsoft and SAP as well as six advisors have formed the AI-Enabled Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Workforce Consortium.
The Consortium's goal is to explore AI's impact on ICT job roles, enabling workers to find and access relevant training programs, and connecting businesses to skilled and job-ready workers.
Working as a private sector collaborative, the consortium is evaluating how AI is changing the jobs and skills workers need to be successful. The first phase of work will culminate in a report with actionable insights for business leaders and workers.
Findings are intended to offer practical insights and recommendations to employers that seek ways to reskill and upskill their workers in preparation for AI-enabled environments.
Consortium members represent a cross section of companies innovating with AI that also understand the current and impending impact of the technology on the workforce.
Consortium members have documented opportunities and challenges presented by AI. The collaborative effort enables their organisations to share insights and recommend action plans.
"AI is accelerating the pace of change for the global workforce, presenting a powerful opportunity for the private sector to help upskill and reskill workers for the future," said Francine Katsoudas, executive vice president and chief people, policy and purpose officer, Cisco. "The mission of our newly unveiled AI-Enabled Workforce Consortium is to provide organisations with knowledge about the impact of AI on the workforce and equip workers with relevant skills. We look forward to engaging other stakeholders—including governments, NGOs, and the academic community—as we take this important first step toward ensuring that the AI revolution leaves no one behind."
The Consortium's work is inspired by the US-EU Trade and Technology Council’s Talent for Growth Task Force and Cisco chair and CEO Chuck Robbins' leadership of its skills training workstream, and input from the US Department of Commerce. The TTC was established in June 2021 by US President Joe Biden, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and European Council President Charles Michel to promote US and EU competitiveness and prosperity through co-operation and democratic approaches to trade, technology, and security.