Key points:
- Students must be equipped with the skills needed to thrive in the AI-driven economy
- Peering into the digital AI divide
- HBCUs and the potential for disruptive AI innovation
- For more news on AI and learners, visit eCN’s AI in Education hub
AI skills are becoming essential for college students to secure future success. As artificial intelligence transforms industries, the ability to understand and effectively use AI will be a key differentiator in the job market.
New survey findings from Jobs for the Future (JFF) shed light on how AI can
serve as a critical lever for economic success when access and opportunity are prioritized for people who face barriers to economic advancement.
Employers increasingly seek professionals who can work alongside AI systems, automate tasks, analyze data, and develop innovative solutions. Regardless of their major, students who acquire AI skills–such as machine learning, data analysis, and AI-driven problem-solving–will have a competitive edge over those who do not.
AI skills are also crucial for adaptability. As automation continues to replace traditional roles, professionals who can work with AI systems will remain relevant in the workforce. Learning AI concepts now prepares students for lifelong learning in an era of continuous technological advancement.
JFF’s survey findings indicate that while interest in and use of AI are growing in learning, at work, and for career advancement–especially among people of color–notable gaps, barriers to access, and challenges remain. Education and workforce systems must address these disparities to ensure that AI’s potential for improving people’s quality of work and quality of life reaches everyone.
Thirty-five percent of survey respondents said they use AI at work–up from 8 percent in 2023. More than half (59 percent) of learners said they use AI in their education or training at least weekly, and 57 percent of learners said their instructors incorporate AI into their education–up from 13 percent in 2023.
They survey notes that the increase in AI use seems to stem from individual efforts rather than an overall push to support workers in growing AI skills:
- Respondents most commonly report using AI for self-directed learning (60 percent) and were twice as likely to use AI on their own initiative at work (20 percent) versus at their employer’s direction (11 percent).
- Only 16 percent of respondents reported having access to paid AI tools from their employer or educational institution. About 10 percent said they were personally paying for the tools, and people of color were more likely to report paying for them (15 percent).
- In 2023, just 8 percent of respondents said their employer provided training on AI tools. That number nearly quadrupled to 31 percent in 2024. However, most workers (56 percent) said they don’t feel prepared to use AI in their work.
Seventy-seven percent of respondents said they believe AI will impact the job or career they expect to have in the next 3-5 years, and 19 percent said they are actively pursuing different careers (7 percent) or considering changing plans in the near future (12 percent) due to AI-driven transformation. Nineteen percent have already used AI tools to obtain a better job.
“One of the things we want to make sure of is that everyone’s lives improve with the advent of AI. We know that one of the biggest concerns people have with AI could be job displacement or replacement. While it’s true that AI is changing the way we work, we believe we need to move beyond just improving existing roles,” said Kristina Francis, executive director of JFFLabs.
“We need to look at how AI is also fueling new business models, new industries, and new opportunities for livelihood for individuals. Every technological advancement creates room for new job creation. I would like us to help position individuals and industries and businesses to create new types and new ways of business.”
“In all of this, we want to make sure that what is uniquely human is elevated. we want to make sure that human capability in AI is prioritized,” said Michael Collins, JFF’s senior vice president of Population Strategies.
Listen to an in-depth conversation between Francis, Collins, and Brian Gonzalez, executive in residence at the Center for Artificial Intelligence & the Future of Work, here.
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