At a global investor conference earlier this year, Nvidia’s chief executive Jensen Huang described artificial intelligence as the driving force behind “a new industrial revolution”. Throughout history, there have been only a few moments when we have witnessed a fundamental shift in the skills most valued in the global economy. We are entering one of those moments now, and educational systems around the world must adapt accordingly.
For over three decades, technical skills – such as programming, quantitative analysis and financial modelling – have been highly sought after due to the increasing demand in these fields. This demand stems from the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which is characterised by the rapid growth of information technology and the data-driven economy.
However, these skills, traditionally associated with high-paying jobs, are now among those most vulnerable to automation by advanced AI. LinkedIn researchers have estimated that up to 96 per cent of a software engineer’s current skill set – primarily proficiency in programming languages – could eventually be performed by AI. While the role of software engineers will remain essential, their focus is likely to shift from coding to tasks that require more human-centred skills, such as collaboration, communication and creative problem-solving.
Indeed, AI is poised to affect nearly every profession to some degree. Research by OpenAI suggests that 80 per cent of all jobs will be affected to varying degrees by advancements in AI. In this new landscape, skills that have been undervalued in recent decades – particularly human-centred skills – will probably prove to be the most crucial.
A moment like this compels us to think differently about how students are educated. Human abilities such as effective communication, persuasion, empathy and creative thinking have been essential to human progress for millennia. These are the very skills that are inherently human and – most importantly – the hardest for AI to replicate.
However, these skills have not been sufficiently valued in our economy or prioritised within our educational systems. This must change.
Happily, around the world universities are adapting to the changing environment. The University of Cambridge, for example, has introduced the Cambridge Life Competencies Framework, which outlines six key areas of competency that are important for development: creative thinking, critical thinking, learning to learn, communication, collaboration and social responsibilities.
These competency areas are linked to three foundation layers – emotional development, digital literacy and subject knowledge. By clearly defining these core areas of development, teachers can strategically align their classes and their learning materials to instil these competencies, whatever course a student studies.
At Zayed University, our philosophy has always been to provide a holistic education that equips students for future challenges. This year, we introduced the “Uniquely ZU” initiative, drawing on a diverse array of experience within ZU and inspiration from initiatives at top universities from around the world, such as the University of Cambridge, and applying a uniquely ZU approach.
Our pioneering initiative runs alongside a students’ degree programme and integrates extracurricular activities into the core of every student’s education, ensuring they acquire not only technical knowledge but also essential human-centred skills.
Through “Uniquely ZU”, students can map, track, and quantify their skill development across five key pillars: self-development, social engagement, agile mindset, leadership and future readiness.
Students will learn to communicate effectively with diverse groups, adapt to new situations, think creatively, make sound decisions for themselves and their teams, and resolve conflicts under pressure. This holistic approach ensures that graduates are well-equipped with the critical skills needed to thrive in an AI-driven future.
We are not arguing that there will be no engineers in the future or that generalists will replace specialists. But we do believe that many traditionally valuable tasks – such as coding, logistics, certain areas of accountancy and copywriting – will increasingly be replaced by AI.
What will separate the most successful employees of the future from the rest will be their creativity and critical thinking, their adaptability to changing and unpredictable environments (often referred to as “Vuca”, which stands for volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity), and their ability to work collaboratively with their colleagues and clients.
Key skills such as client management and problem-solving may be enhanced by AI, but they will not be replaced. And crucially, leadership skills – which are fundamental to the success or failure of any business – will remain the domain of humans, not computers.
We also anticipate the emergence of new job categories driven by AI, much like those that arose in previous technological revolutions, and that these jobs will increasingly rely on human-centred skills.
It is the responsibility of every forward-thinking university therefore to adapt to the evolving landscape of the AI age and provide students with a holistic education that emphasises skill development.
The manner in which we integrate this into academia, alongside teaching disciplinary specialisms, is a vital consideration for higher education institutions. We have come up with a Uniquely ZU way of doing this – other universities will inevitably find their own ways. Providing these skills will distinguish our students from the increasingly sophisticated machines of the future and offer them the greatest advantage in their careers.
