New Economy Skills 2025

Introduction The world is moving through an era defined by rapid technological change. As new innovations, particularly AI, reshape jobs, industries and economies, equipping people with the right skills is more important than ever for global competitiveness and societal progress. These skills represent not only one of today’s greatest catalysts for growth, but also a critical pathway for all workers to thrive in an increasingly digital and interconnected world. Today, however, critical digital skills shortages mire economies across the globe. While technology will be the main engine of business transformation in the next five years, the Future of Jobs Report shows that 63% of employers view skills gaps as the biggest barrier to progress. Recent research in the United Kingdom from the Centre for Economic and Business Research suggests a digital skills shortage is holding back £23 billion in growth.2 A Eurostat survey noted that in 2023, 57.5% of EU enterprises that recruited or tried to recruit ICT specialists had difficulties in filling the roles.3 Meanwhile, a study from the World Bank believes jobs requiring digital skills will hit 230 million across Sub-Saharan Africa, pointing to significant economic growth to the tune of $130 billion in revenue.4 Across the globe, demand for digital skills is outstripping supply. And without significant investment and reform this gap will widen, particularly as organizations race to implement AI and other advanced technologies. Emphasizing this, a study from Cognizant ranked the availability of skills and talent as the leading inhibitor to AI adoption in 23 countries.5 Digital skilling, then, is at a crossroads: it can become one of the greatest accelerators of economic growth, or its greatest inhibitor. A principal challenge is that education systems and organizations worldwide lack the tools to effectively assess, develop and credential these vital capabilities, constrained by infrastructure that has not kept pace with rapid technological change. This report examines the supply and demand of digital, data and AI skills, and provides guidance for businesses, educators and policy- makers on how to strengthen their development, assessment and credentialing so that individuals, businesses and economies remain competitive and drive progress. Insights are grounded in extensive research and multistakeholder consultation, integrating perspectives from business, education and policy. It is the second instalment of the New Economy Skills series, which explores the capabilities that will enable individuals to adapt to change and power sustainable growth, innovation and competitiveness in a rapidly evolving world.Digital skills are now essential for economic growth and global competitiveness, yet persistent shortages and challenges in education and credentialing threaten progress and innovation. New Economy Skills: Building AI, Data and Digital Capabilities for Growth 6