With the pace of technological change accelerating, there is growing pressure to equip people with the skills needed to use emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI). Without these skills, many risk being left behind, warned education experts speaking at the SDG Lounge.
“We are all on this journey together, and we are all learning a lot,” said Kate Behncken, Corporate Vice President of Microsoft Philanthropies. “AI is going to change so many aspects of how we learn, work, and connect with others. It’s going to impact every sector. There’s a lot of fear about job disruption, but also opportunities for augmentation and entirely new jobs that don’t even exist yet.”
Ms Behncken then added a stark reminder: “AI might not take your job, but there’s a really good chance your job could be taken by someone who knows AI.”
A Crisis in Teaching
The field of education is facing significant challenges, with a global shortage of teachers exacerbating inequalities.
“In the last five years, we’ve seen a huge teacher shortage,” said Maggie Johnson, Global Head and Vice President of Google.org. “Overwork, burnout, and insufficient pay are driving people away from the profession. New teachers are not entering the field because of these conditions. Globally, we also face a lack of training and resources, leaving a critical gap in the talent needed for effective education.”
Digital Divides and Refugee Education
For those living without access to the internet, the challenges posed by AI are even greater. Mary Maker, who fled Sudan for South Sudan and spent decades in a Kenyan refugee camp, spoke about the transformative power of education— and the gaps that still exist.
“Education was my equalizer, my way of life, a chance to become myself,” she shared. “In classrooms packed with 200 students, all of us affected by war, education gave us a sense of hope despite the trauma.”
While Ms Maker’s journey eventually led her out of the camp, she highlighted the stark reality for many refugees: “We come to camps, we die in camps, we marry in camps. This cannot be the future we discuss at the Summit of the Future or in conversations about education.”
Rethinking Learning in the Age of AI
The panelists stressed the need to reimagine teaching and learning to align with the demands of the AI era.
“We need to go back and rethink how and what we teach,” said Ms Behncken. “For instance, skills like empathy, communication, and creativity are not binary—you’re not just good at them or not. We need to leverage technology to free up time for tasks that only humans can do and excel at.”
Conrad Sackey, Minister for Education of Sierra Leone, framed the conversation within a broader context: “We stand at a critical juncture where digitalization intersects with our shared commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals. Digitalization is not just a technological trend; it’s a transformative force reshaping every aspect of our lives.”
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