World of Work

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang at Davos highlighted the AI boom as the largest infrastructure build-out ever, sparking six-figure jobs for construction workers, electricians, plumbers, and network technicians. He described AI's five-layer structure—energy, chips, cloud services, models, and applications—requiring trillions in investments for data centers and factories. Salaries have nearly doubled due to skilled labor shortages, with projects in the US, Europe, and Asia creating thousands of roles. This shift democratizes high earnings in tech, addressing trade shortages through vocational training and partnerships, while promising long-term stability amid AI's growth.

The U.S. construction industry faces a severe labor shortage, needing 456,000 new workers by 2027 amid retirements of one-fifth of its over-55 workforce and a $700 billion AI infrastructure surge from tech giants like Microsoft and Google. Data center projects have added 95,000 jobs since last year, but shortages delay housing and manufacturing. Skilled trades like electricians (9.5% growth) and HVAC techs (8.1%) offer opportunities, outpacing the national 3.1% average. Immigration crackdowns worsen the issue, with 92% of firms struggling to hire. Strategies include apprenticeships, tech incentives, and awareness campaigns to build the workforce for AI and reshoring.

Africa's AI skills shortage risks sidelining its massive youth population from global opportunities. With projections of the largest working-age group by 2050, building these skills is key to economic leapfrogging. Discover the gap: from basic Python to advanced model deployment, plus interdisciplinary needs like agronomists for crop AI in Kenya. Spotlight GRIT Lab Africa—training 3,000+ via projects like VR courtrooms and AI for sustainable investing, achieving 100% employment for advanced grads. Regional insights: Kenya's innovation hubs lack advanced engineers; Nigeria's bootcamps hit infrastructure walls. Why it matters: jobs in health diagnostics, fraud detection, and startups. Blueprint includes curricula reform, hubs, internships, ethics focus, and pan-African collaboration for inclusive growth.

The UK government's free AI training courses target 10 million adults by 2030, building skills for an AI-evolving job market. Courses cover prompt basics, admin efficiency, ethical use, and tool integration with platforms like Microsoft Copilot. Partnerships with Amazon, Google, and Microsoft ensure cutting-edge content. Experts from IPPR stress holistic skills like critical thinking alongside tech know-how. Open to all UK adults, modules range from 20-minute intros to multi-hour sessions, with virtual badges for credentials. Endorsements from NHS and Chambers of Commerce highlight benefits for sectors like healthcare and small businesses, promising productivity gains and economic growth without job displacement.

Davos 2026 buzzed with AI optimism as Nvidia's Jensen Huang declared "jobs, jobs, jobs" in sectors like chips and energy infrastructure. Bill Gates called for taxing AI to fund retraining, noting productivity boosts expand economies. Unions like UNI Global warned of "more with fewer workers," citing surveys where only 1 in 8 CEOs see clear ROI. Examples include Cisco slashing project times from 19 man-years to weeks via AI coding, BNY cutting onboarding from days to minutes, and BlackRock growing assets by $700B while keeping headcount flat. Elon Musk urged optimism for quality of life amid these shifts.