RIYADH: In a move aimed at enhancing job security, the UAE government has launched an initiative to reskill its workforce. The program is designed to equip employees to effectively navigate the fast-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence in the job market. Omar Sultan Al-Olama, minister of state for AI, digital economy and remote work applications, unveiled the initiative during the annual meeting of the Global Future Councils 2023 held in Dubai from Oct. 16-18. This initiative aims to reskill, retool, and support early retirement for UAE employees, reported the Emirates News Agency. “If someone is going to be augmented by AI, we want to retool them to actually be able to use these tools, and if someone is a year or two from retirement and has no interest in retooling, they have the option of retiring early,” said Al-Olama. He added: “If people are part of a job class that is going to be completely displaced by AI, you need to provide government programs that will completely reskill them in a new job class that will not be displaced.” The GFC meetings also touched on issues around data equity, women’s empowerment and the environment. “We can no longer separate the climate agenda from the human development agenda or the nature agenda. It can no longer be a zero-sum game where we can progress one at the expense of another,” said Badr Jafar, CEO of the UAE-based Crescent Enterprises. Jafar added: “It can no longer be a zero-sum game where we can progress one at the expense of another.” Lauren Woodman, CEO of the US-based AI firm DataKind, stressed the significance of data equity as a response to social concerns. “We began with the action-oriented premise that we must move forward and undertake the necessary steps to ensure that this powerful technology maintains its human-centered focus, with its abundant promising opportunities,” said Woodman. The World Economic Forum’s annual GFC 2023 meeting offered a crucial opportunity for global experts to connect and collaborate on solutions that can enhance economic growth and development. One of the world’s critical multistakeholder and interdisciplinary knowledge networks, the forum has 30 members, and it hosted 600 professionals from academia, government, business and civil society.