Discovering the Future of AI Skills

The world is experiencing a significant shift in how people consume content and acquire new skills, driven by the accelerating evolution of artificial intelligence (AI). A recent global survey by IDC found that the lack of skilled workers is the most significant challenge for companies implementing AI technology. This underscores the need for continuous adaptation to emerging technologies and collaborative efforts to bridge the AI skills gap.

The 2024 Work Trend Index Annual Report by Microsoft and LinkedIn revealed that 66% of leaders believe that hiring someone without AI skills is not an option. As the world celebrates National AI Literacy Day, it is clear that no single company can meet the opportunities of tomorrow alone. Innovative partnerships are necessary to make a meaningful impact on AI literacy and skills development globally.

Empowering Learners with Essential AI Skills

Microsoft and Pearson, the world’s leading learning company, have announced a strategic collaboration to address the top challenge facing organizations worldwide: skilling for the AI era. The partnership will focus on providing employers, workers, and learners with AI-powered products and services to prepare the current and future workforce for the evolving landscape of work in an AI-powered economy. By combining Pearson’s expertise in learning and assessment with Microsoft’s cloud and AI technologies, this partnership will play a foundational role in helping organizations realize the full value of AI through reskilling.

Microsoft and Pearson will address the challenges and opportunities around reskilling at the ASU-GSV Summit in San Diego, US, from April 6-9, 2025. The summit is dedicated to scaled innovations in education and workforce skills that are critical to creating a world where all people have equal access to the future. At ASU-GSV, Microsoft Corporate Vice President of Worldwide Learning, Jeana Jorgensen, will join Pearson President of Workforce Skills, Vishaal Gupta, for a discussion on transforming skills development and talent planning for the AI era.

Rethinking Reskilling

Given the urgent need to rethink learning and reskill workers, Microsoft and Pearson will collaborate in several ways, including:

• Personalized learning at scale: Pearson will power its trusted content, assessment, upskilling, and certification services with Microsoft Azure cloud computing and AI infrastructure.
• Innovative collaboration: Pearson and Microsoft will launch a strategic collaboration to help people build AI proficiency and technical skills through new AI credentials and certifications.
• Investing in technology-driven careers: Microsoft will extend its current partnership with Pearson VUE, a key provider of Microsoft Cloud and Office certifications, through 2029.
• Powering the Pearson workforce: Pearson will expand its use of Microsoft 365 Copilot to its global workforce, introducing workplace AI tools that enhance efficiency, creativity, and productivity.

The partnership extends the efforts of both Microsoft and Pearson to provide AI skilling to people across the globe. In 2024, Microsoft and its partners trained and certified over 23 million people in digital skills. Pearson launched its Generative AI Foundations certification to equip professionals and students with essential skills needed to work with generative AI technologies.

Develop Your AI Skills

Curious about developing AI literacy and building AI skills? Get started today and join the Microsoft AI Skills Fest. Registration is open now for deep dives, experiential content, hackathons, and practical sessions that will enhance your AI skills over 50 days of discovery and learning, starting April 8, 2025.

There is a significant opportunity to work together to build AI skills and empower the future workforce. Whether you, your team, or your students are just getting started or looking to refine your capabilities, discover resources to support your journey.

¹ IDC InfoBrief: sponsored by Microsoft, 2024 Business Opportunity of AI, IDC# US52699124, November 2024