Global CEOs and tech leaders unite to bridge the AI skill gap
In a bold call to action, over 250 global leaders—including Satya Nadella (Microsoft), Shantanu Narayen (Adobe), Arvind Krishna (IBM), Michael Dell (Dell Technologies), and Reid Hoffman (LinkedIn)—have signed an open letter urging early access to the foundational skills needed to succeed in a world enabled by AI. These leaders are advocating for policy solutions that ensure every student has access to the foundational skills.
Their collective push kicks off Unlock8, a national campaign led by Code.org and CSforALL, aimed at shaping policy that ensures every student learns the foundational skills needed to thrive in an AI-driven world.
Signatories span industries—from American Airlines’ CEO Robert Isom to Lisa Su of AMD, Brian Chesky of Airbnb, and Sal Khan of Khan Academy—highlighting the broad consensus that AI literacy is essential.
New data from the University of Maryland reinforces the urgency: taking just one high school CS course can increase early career earnings by 8%, regardless of career or college trajectory.
With AI and big data ranked as the fastest-growing workplace skills by the World Economic Forum, and two-thirds of employers planning to hire AI talent in the next five years, this initiative comes at a pivotal moment.
“Computer science and AI unlock a doorway to skills K–12 students need to thrive in an economy that changes by the minute,” said Cameron Wilson, President of Code.org. “That’s why over 250 CEOs are supporting states in making CS and AI coursework the norm.”
While progress has been made—with 39 states now allocating CS funding and 60% of high schools offering courses—only 12 states require it for graduation, and just 6.4% of students took a CS course last year.
The message is clear: If we want a workforce ready for the future, AI and computer science must become core to every student’s education.
Talent shortage
AI and computer science talent shortage is not limited to a particular country. India is also anticipating an AI talent shortfall of over 1 million by 2027. According to Bain & Company’s study report, India is in dire need to reskill and upskill its workforce to meet the growing demand for AI expertise.
The report further adds that the AI sector in India may create more than 2.3 million jobs by 2027, while the AI talent pool is expected to grow to around 1.2 million, presenting an opportunity to reskill more than 1 million workers, according to the report.
Since 2019, AI-related job postings have exploded, increasing by 21 per cent annually, while compensation for these roles has risen by 11 per cent each year.