By Dr Saswati Pattanaik & Tengmesil R. Marak
As the calendar turns to July 15, 2025, the global community marks the 10th anniversary of World Youth Skills Day (WYSD). This significant milestone is underpinned by a resonant and critically important theme: “Youth empowerment through AI and digital skills.” This choice is not merely symbolic; it is a direct response to the profound and accelerating transformation wrought by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, spearheaded by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and pervasive digital technologies. In an era where the lines between the physical, digital, and biological worlds are increasingly blurred, traditional skill sets are rapidly becoming obsolete, while new, highly specialized competencies are emerging at an unprecedented pace. The imperative to equip young people with AI and digital fluency is no longer a futuristic vision but an immediate necessity for ensuring their meaningful participation in a global economy that is increasingly automated, data-driven, and interconnected. The United Nations General Assembly’s declaration of WYSD in 2014 was a testament to the strategic importance of empowering youth with skills for employment, decent work, and entrepreneurship. A decade later, this mission has gained renewed urgency. The rise of AI, from sophisticated algorithms that power everyday applications to generative AI that creates content and designs, is not just altering how we work, but how we live, learn, and interact with the world. However, this technological leap, while brimming with opportunities, also presents considerable challenges. If not implemented equitably and thoughtfully, AI has the potential to exacerbate existing inequalities, widen the digital divide, and leave significant segments of the youth population behind. The 2025 theme directly confronts this duality, advocating for an inclusive approach to AI and digital skills development that benefits all.
Why AI and Digital Skills are Paramount for Youth Empowerment:
Navigating the Future of Work: Industries worldwide are undergoing profound shifts due to automation, data analytics, and AI. Traditional jobs are evolving, and new roles are emerging that demand strong digital acumen. Equipping youth with skills in areas like coding, data analysis, cybersecurity, digital marketing, and AI literacy is essential to prepare them for these dynamic career paths.
Driving Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Digital and AI skills empower young people to identify opportunities, develop innovative solutions, and create their own ventures. From building mobile applications to leveraging AI for social good, these skills unlock immense entrepreneurial potential, fostering economic growth and job creation.
Promoting Inclusivity and Bridging Divides: While AI and digital technologies offer immense opportunities, there’s a risk of deepening existing inequalities if access and training are not equitable. The 2025 theme emphasizes the need for inclusive AI and digital skills development, ensuring that marginalized youth, including girls, rural populations, and those with disabilities, have equal access to these transformative tools. This is vital for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Enhancing Education and Learning: AI can revolutionize education itself, offering personalized learning experiences through intelligent tutoring systems, immersive training via virtual and augmented reality, and streamlined career guidance. Integrating AI and digital skills into Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) systems is crucial to modernize curricula and align training with real-time labor market demands.
Fostering Responsible Digital Citizenship: Beyond technical proficiency, “Youth empowerment through AI and digital skills” also encompasses critical thinking, ethical considerations, and responsible use of technology. As AI tools become more prevalent, young people need to understand the societal implications, online safety, and the importance of ethical AI implementation to contribute to a fair and just digital future.
The Road Ahead: Collective Action for a Skilled Future World Youth Skills Day 2025 calls for a collaborative effort from governments, educators, industry leaders, policymakers, and youth themselves. Key areas of focus include: Modernizing Education Systems: Redesigning curricula to incorporate AI and digital literacy from an early age, making these skills a foundational part of learning.
Investing in TVET: Strengthening Technical and Vocational Education and Training programs to equip youth with practical, industry-relevant skills that meet the demands of the digital economy.
Ensuring Equitable Access: Addressing the digital divide by providing affordable access to devices, internet connectivity, and quality digital education, especially for underserved communities.
Promoting Ethical AI: Advocating for human-centered AI development and ensuring that young people are educated on the ethical implications and responsible use of AI.
Amplifying Youth Voices: Engaging young people in policy discussions and decision-making processes related to the future of work and technology, recognizing them as active cocreators of a more sustainable and equitable digital future. As the world marks the 10th anniversary of World Youth Skills Day, the theme of “Youth empowerment through AI and digital skills” serves as a powerful reminder that investing in the skills of young people is not just about individual prosperity; it’s about building resilient societies, fostering innovation, and shaping a future where technology serves humanity for the betterment of all.
This year’s World Youth Skills Day will serve as a pivotal platform, co-organized by key UN entities such as the Permanent Missions of Portugal and Sri Lanka, UNESCO, ILO, and the UN Youth Office. The event will spotlight the multifaceted role of digital and AI skills in shaping societies that are not only inclusive and sustainable but also driven by ethical technological innovation. It’s an opportunity to bridge the gap between education and the evolving demands of the labor market, ensuring that young people are not just “work-life ready” but also “future-ready,” capable of leading change and contributing to a more peaceful and prosperous world. The core message of WYSD 2025 is clear: empower young minds to understand, innovate, and lead with technology. This involves moving beyond basic digital literacy to fostering a deeper comprehension of AI principles, data ethics, and the responsible application of these powerful tools. It’s about equipping youth to be active participants in the digital transformation, rather than passive recipients, and ensuring they have the agency to navigate and shape the automated future of work.
The Transformative Power: AI and Digital Skills for Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship
The rapid integration of AI and digital technologies across virtually all sectors is fundamentally reshaping the landscape of employment and entrepreneurship. For young people, acquiring proficiency in these areas is no longer an advantage but a prerequisite for navigating the modern job market and unlocking unprecedented opportunities for innovation and economic independence.
Navigating the Evolving Job Market: The traditional career paths are rapidly diversifying, with many emerging roles demanding a strong foundation in digital and AI competencies. From AI specialists and data scientists to digital marketers and cybersecurity analysts, the demand for digitally skilled talent is soaring. Reports from institutions like the World Economic Forum highlight that skills in AI and big data, networks and cybersecurity, and technological literacy are among the fastest-growing demands from employers. Moreover, even traditionally non-technical roles are increasingly requiring digital fluency for tasks ranging from data analysis and project management to communication and collaboration using digital tools. Without these skills, young individuals risk being sidelined in a competitive labor market. A recent report supported by Google.org and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) alarmingly revealed that only 1 in 5 young adults in India, a country with a massive youth demographic, had participated in AI-skilling programs. This stark preparedness gap underscores the urgent need for widespread AI fluency and digital decision-making capabilities to prevent job displacement and capitalize on opportunities in emerging sectors. The report emphasizes that employers are increasingly prioritizing AI fluency over traditional academic qualifications.
Driving Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Beyond direct employment, digital and AI skills are powerful catalysts for youth entrepreneurship. Armed with knowledge of coding, web development, app design, or AI model training, young individuals can identify market gaps, develop innovative solutions, and launch their own businesses with relatively low barriers to entry. This empowerment transcends mere job-seeking; it fosters a generation of problem-solvers and creators. Imagine a young person leveraging AI to develop a sustainable agriculture solution, or creating a new e-commerce platform that connects local artisans to global markets. These are tangible outcomes of digital and AI empowerment. The ability to utilize AI for tasks like market research, automated customer service, or predictive analytics can significantly lower the overhead and increase the efficiency of nascent ventures, giving young entrepreneurs a vital edge.
Economic Growth and Societal Contribution: The collective digital and AI proficiency of a nation’s youth directly translates into increased productivity, innovation, and economic growth. A skilled workforce attracts investment, stimulates new industries, and enhances competitiveness on a global scale. Furthermore, empowered youth can leverage these skills to address pressing societal challenges, contributing to solutions in areas like healthcare, climate change, and education, thereby fostering inclusive and sustainable development. The impact extends beyond mere technical proficiency. Core skills such as media literacy, critical thinking, problem-solving, socio-emotional skills, and effective communication are equally essential alongside digital competencies. Digital technologies are not just tools; they are platforms for learning, assessing, and aligning skills with real-time labor market needs, making education and vocational training more accessible and engaging than ever before. This integrated approach ensures that youth are not only technically adept but also possess the adaptable and critical thinking skills necessary to thrive in an unpredictable future.
Bridging Divides and Ethical Imperatives: Inclusivity in AI and Digital Skills Development
While the opportunities presented by AI and digital skills are immense, their equitable distribution remains a significant global challenge. The 2025 theme of “Youth empowerment through AI and digital skills” explicitly calls for an inclusive approach, ensuring that these transformative tools do not deepen existing divides but instead serve as pathways to opportunity for all young people, regardless of their background, gender, or geographic location.
Addressing the Digital Divide: A fundamental challenge lies in the persistent digital divide. Many young people, particularly in rural areas, marginalized communities, and developing nations, lack basic access to reliable internet connectivity, digital devices, and quality digital education. Without this foundational infrastructure, discussions about advanced AI skills become moot. Efforts must be intensified to provide equitable access, including public computing centers, subsidized internet plans, and initiatives to distribute affordable devices. This is crucial for ensuring that the benefits of the digital revolution reach every corner of the globe.
Tackling Bias and Inequality: AI systems, trained on datasets often reflecting historical biases, can perpetuate and even amplify existing gender, racial, and socio-economic inequalities. For instance, biased algorithms in recruitment processes can inadvertently disadvantage certain demographic groups. The theme for WYSD 2025 highlights the urgent need to address these ethical implications. Equipping youth with an understanding of AI ethics, data privacy, and algorithmic bias is paramount. This enables them to not only critically evaluate AI tools but also to contribute to the development of ethical, human-centered AI solutions. Training programs must actively promote diversity in AI development teams and encourage young people to consider the societal impact of the technologies they create.
Educator Readiness and Infrastructure Gaps: A significant hurdle to implementing widespread AI and digital skills training is the lack of educator readiness. Many teachers and vocational trainers lack confidence or sufficient training in using and teaching AI tools effectively. Simultaneously, numerous Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions, particularly in developing regions, lack the necessary infrastructure, hardware, and software to adopt advanced AI learning tools. This necessitates significant investment in teacher training programs, capacity building for educational institutions, and the development of accessible, scalable AI learning platforms.
High Costs and Funding Shortfalls: Scaling up AI-driven learning and digital skills initiatives often involves substantial financial investment. Many regions, especially those with limited resources, struggle to secure adequate funding for these programs. This calls for increased international cooperation, publicprivate partnerships, and innovative funding models to ensure that cost is not a barrier to empowering youth with these critical skills. Governments must prioritize investment in digital education and vocational training as a key driver of national development.
Promoting Ethical AI and Responsible Digital Citizenship: Beyond technical proficiency, “Youth empowerment through AI and digital skills” emphasizes the development of responsible digital citizens. This includes understanding cybersecurity threats, protecting personal data, discerning misinformation online, and engaging respectfully in digital spaces. As AI becomes more integrated into daily life, young people need the critical thinking skills to evaluate information, understand the potential for misuse, and advocate for ethical AI governance. This holistic approach ensures that technological advancement is coupled with social responsibility. The goal is to empower youth not just as users or creators of AI, but as stewards of a just and ethical digital future.
(The writers are engaged with the College of Community Science (CAU-Imphal), Tura)
