WEF CEO: 'Humans do not compete, but collaborate with machines'

This is the comment of WEF Managing Director Stephan Mergenthaler at the Autumn Economic Forum 2025, motivating Vietnamese youth to be confident and determine their direction while technology is changing the world.

Young people participate in a talk show to inspire young people - Photo: THANH HIEP

On the morning of November 25, the Autumn Economic Forum 2025 opened, starting with the talk show Intelligent Generation NOW, emphasizing the role of young people in Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam in the topic "Green transformation in the digital age".

Learning to collaborate with machines

Sharing with young people in Ho Chi Minh City from the perspective of an international expert, Managing Director of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Stephan Mergenthaler opened with the premise that by 2030, 39% of workers' skills will change.

The figures were published in the WEF's biennial Future of Jobs report, which surveyed and consulted a large network of global experts and businesses.

Meanwhile, according to the study, the core skills of workers that businesses today, in 2025, are still looking for, include: analytical thinking, resilience, flexibility, agility, leadership and social impact skills, creative thinking - these are all very instinctive human skills.

However, the WEF CEO also noted that the current world context is changing very rapidly, predicting that the necessary skills of 2030 will be associated with technology, including AI (artificial intelligence) and big data, networks and cybersecurity, digital... with 39% of core skills changing.

“So what does 39% core skills change mean? It means your future job will require skills you haven’t even heard of yet,” Mergenthaler said.

WEF Managing Director Stephan Mergenthaler in a talk with young people about the future labor market - Photo: THANH HIEP

However, the WEF's view is that technology will not replace humans, but will define skills that only humans can do. These skills are evolving rapidly and will continue to be required in the future: the ability to think creatively, be resilient, be curious and learn throughout life.

Currently, according to the WEF report, jobs performed entirely by humans still account for 47% of a company’s tasks. However, this picture will change by 2030, with the proportion of jobs performed by technology and those performed by a combination of technology and humans increasing significantly.

Mergenthaler emphasized that human-machine collaboration is something that workers, especially young workers, need to prepare for. "62% said they are looking for people who can collaborate well with AI. That is what companies expect from the next generation of workers," Mergenthaler said.

As such, the current and future workforce will need a change in mindset, a change in how they view collaboration between humans and machines and with AI.

“This is not about competition, but about collaboration, building ‘hybrid’ working groups that combine the best of intelligent agents and the best of humans,” Mergenthaler asserted.

Ho Chi Minh City places expectations on young people

Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Van Duoc delivered the opening speech at the talk show inspiring young people - Photo: THANH HIEP

Encouraging the youth of Ho Chi Minh City, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Van Duoc said that in the context of technology, artificial intelligence and data reshaping all aspects of life, opportunities have never been as wide as today, but also come with challenges.

In that context, Ho Chi Minh City is making strong efforts to become a center of innovation, technology, finance and knowledge of the country and the region, with Resolution 98 opening up new space for the city to experiment with breakthroughs, and strategic initiatives such as the Ho Chi Minh City International Financial Center being promoted, aiming to turn the city into a convergence point of financial technology and innovation.

To the youth, he called this the current intelligent generation, the generation born in the digital age, with open thinking, the ability to access superior technology and the spirit of daring to think, daring to do, daring to fail to grow and become stronger.

"I believe that you, the current intelligent generation, will continue that tradition and make the world pay more attention to Vietnam's intelligence, bravery and creativity.

I call on you to take action. Ho Chi Minh City has high expectations of you, not only as successors, but also as companions with the city on the journey to build a civilized, modern and integrated urban area," Mr. Duoc said.

NGHI VU - CONG TRIEU

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/giam-doc-dieu-hanh-wef-con-nguoi-khong-canh-tranh-nhung-cong-tac-voi-may-moc-20251125100949765.htm