The 4th IR and AI Skills required for business, industry and daily life via Education

The Fourth Industrial Revolution will create more employment or result in the loss of work opportunities. Optimistic predictions, based on trends already measured, suggest that the next 3 years will see about a million more jobs created than those lost. So, universities and post-schools should contribute to the advance of AI and its applications and how curricula and learning will need to change. As the global economy moves towards the widespread adoption of AI solutions, competition will grow for employees who have the scarce skills required to implement, manage and work alongside the 4IR technologies. Developing these skills is therefore vital for any young person wishing to remain relevant in an increasingly automated workplace. As this skilled workforce supports the AI industry, the demand for even more highly trained professionals will grow accordingly. Workplaces will require adaptable people whose jobs are reimagined, enriched or facilitated by the technology they work alongside. This view might, however, prove to be overly pessimistic. For example, the Economist reported recently that computers can help to diagnose diseases, excelling at abstract, cognitive tasks and at completing repetitive manual tasks, navigating randomly cluttered rooms or assembling pre-made furniture. The implications that arise for institutions of education are at least twofold. Firstly, researchers in relevant disciplines face the challenge of making AI increasingly more sophisticated and useful, not just in manufacturing or planning but also in the direct service of society