Artificial intelligence is no longer just a futuristic concept—it’s rapidly redefining the way we work, learn, and earn. As machines take on more cognitive tasks, industries are at a crossroads: Will AI replace jobs, leading to widespread unemployment, or will it elevate humanity, creating new opportunities while transforming the labor market? 

The rise of automation and skill-based employment models raises critical questions about economic inequality, workforce readiness, and how societies can adapt to these sweeping changes.

The future of work isn’t just about technology—it’s about people. As AI takes over repetitive tasks, will workers have the right tools to transition into new roles, or will they be left behind in an increasingly automated world? 

Some believe AI will democratize opportunities, allowing workers to upskill and navigate career paths with greater flexibility. Others worry that without strategic policies, the AI revolution may deepen wealth disparities, benefiting only those with access to advanced education and resources.

To explore these pressing issues, The Byteline sat down with Sean Hinton, General Manager of SkyHive by Cornerstone, a leader in AI-driven workforce development.

In this insightful discussion, Hinton shares his perspective on how AI is shaping the future of employment, the role of skill-based hiring, and how businesses, governments, and individuals can navigate this evolving landscape to ensure equitable growth and opportunity for all.

How do you foresee AI reshaping workforce employment in the next decade?

We are truly in the midst of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, with technology driving change in how people learn and earn. The changes are going to be far too fast and widespread for today’s inefficient labor market to keep pace.

From a workforce perspective, AI and other technical advances are accelerating a trend in which employers and workers are thinking in terms of skills rather than jobs. The future of work is focused on what an individual can do rather than past job titles and descriptions.

This is why SkyHive by Cornerstone’s mission is to provide the world’s workers with a “Skill Passport” that reflects what they know, what they need to learn, and a multitude of potential pathways for their careers. With a Skill Passport, workers can leverage advanced AI to navigate this increasingly complicated world of work and get ahead in their careers.

What industries do you think will be most impacted by AI, and why?

The need for AI proficiency won’t be limited to the tech industry. Ninety percent of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) jobs are projected to change due to AI, yet more than 60% of business and management roles will also change significantly, according to a report by the AI-Enabled ICT Consortium.

 In addition, Cornerstone’s State of the Skills Economy report found that industries like business consulting, financial services, health care, and pharmaceutical manufacturing have seen major growth in AI skills demand.

How can businesses effectively transition to an AI-driven environment without alienating their workforce?

There are already some great examples of businesses using AI to strengthen their workforces and offer workers new opportunities to advance. Most businesses know what their workers do in their current jobs, but they don’t know what their workers are capable of doing—in other words, the true scope of skills each worker has. 

That includes skills gained by formal education, but also the skills people pick up in unconventional ways, such as community activities. Skills like these may not be cited in a CV or spelled out in a hiring process, but they can be extremely valuable, particularly in transitioning from one role to another.

Gainwell Technologies, a major healthcare cloud services provider, used AI to become more agile and gain a better understanding of their workers. Much of its work is project-based, so skill demands change frequently. AI was used to examine CVs and job descriptions to identify skill sets. Workers were invited to review their skill profiles, adding to or editing them as needed. Then the workers were connected to training opportunities to close their personal skill gaps.

A Canadian organization, TALENT, is using AI to assist workers in transitioning from fossil fuel jobs to high-growth jobs in renewables or other parts of the energy sector. TALENT is using AI to identify how the skills of current workers overlap with those in fast-growing occupations and to develop training programs designed to help workers move into new fields.

What key skills or areas of expertise should individuals focus on to remain relevant in the workforce?

Cornerstone’s State of the Skills Economy report found that digital skills are in high demand. Demand for Gen AI skills in job postings worldwide is up 411% since 2019. Other digital skills, like data analysis, are up by more than 50%.

Yet the demand for human skills like communication, collaboration, and critical thinking is rising even faster. In the Middle East and Africa, demand for human skills in job postings is rising more than twice as fast as other skills. 

In a fast-changing world, the ability to work with others, develop creative thinking, and manage projects are always going to be critical. Those are the skills that are distinctively human and will be needed to work alongside AI.

The debate around AI replacing jobs versus creating new opportunities is ongoing. What is your perspective on this issue?

The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs report for 2025 projects that digital access and technological advances will replace nine million jobs worldwide—but these forces will also create 19 million new jobs. I believe it is more helpful to think about AI in terms of replacing tasks, rather than jobs. 

The WEF report says 39% of workers’ key skills are expected to change by 2030 as AI and other technologies continue to expand. For most workers, the challenge will be learning new skills to work alongside AI, rather than being replaced by it. 

Whether a job is being replaced or reshaped, we are still left with a huge transitional challenge as people navigate this new world of work. It is a challenge our workforce and social systems are only beginning to meet.

How do we ensure that the benefits of AI-driven advancements are distributed equitably across all sectors of society?

All workers and learners must have access to the kind of AI-powered tools that will let them adapt to change and find meaningful careers. Every worker should have access to a “GPS system for your career” that assesses your existing skills, what possible transitions are available, and provides the learning and training opportunities necessary to succeed.

Massar Al Ghurair, the new platform launched by Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation and SkyHive, is a good example. Massar Al Ghurair is pioneering a platform where education, employment, and career advancement are interconnected in a continuous loop of growth and opportunity. 

With this ecosystem, we can create a labor market characterized by flexibility, skill-based hiring, and lifelong learning and ensure it is available to everyone.

What are the potential risks of AI disrupting the current economic models, and how should we prepare for them?

When it comes to the labor market and the traditional models for finding workers, the challenge is to adapt to the rapid change to a more skills-based system. 

AI is part of the solution to this problem. AI can provide the basis for understanding the skills workers currently have and connect them to training opportunities so they can either incorporate new technology into their current jobs or transition to new opportunities.

4. What tools or technologies do you recommend for individuals and organizations to prepare for the future of work?

Massar Al Ghurair, as mentioned earlier, is an excellent example of the kind of tool people should be using. Both individuals and organizations need to know what skills they have, what skills they need, and how to leverage learning to accomplish their goals. With Massar Al Ghurair, users can:

• Upload their CVs and have AI analyze their current capabilities, including skills gained in community activities or other nontraditional means.
• Identify the skills they need to move for specific roles and connect them with the right educational institutions to close those gaps.
• Match with jobs in the UAE and provides insights into emerging roles across the GCC region.
• Get forecasts on how specific roles will evolve and what skills will be needed in the future.

How can governments and policymakers ensure fair labor practices in an era increasingly dominated by AI?

One of the best ways to ensure fair labor practices is to ensure that AI is implemented ethically and responsibly. If AI systems are trained on biased data, they can carry over existing human prejudices into the new AI or even make them worse. 

That would have a major impact on hiring decisions. AI needs to be trained on data that is as unbiased and comprehensive as possible, while the decisions AI makes must be transparent and understandable to humans.

At SkyHive by Cornerstone, we’ve embraced standards like the European Union’s AI act, and we have voluntarily had our processes Armilla verified as free from bias.