WEF Director: Young people need to prepare to work with robots

(Dan Tri) - WEF leaders believe that 1/3 of future jobs will be created by humans and machines in collaboration. Young Vietnamese people need to shift from competition to cooperation with AI, developing interdisciplinary thinking.

At the opening talkshow of the Autumn Economic Forum 2025 held on November 25, leaders of the World Economic Forum (WEF), technology experts, businesses and universities had a lively dialogue with Vietnamese youth about the future of work in the era of artificial intelligence (AI). The focus of the discussion revolved around the issue: What do young people need to prepare to work effectively with machines?

Young Vietnamese people need to prepare to work with robots.

WEF Managing Director Stephan Mergenthaler noted that in the next decade, about a third of jobs in the labor market will be created by a combination of humans and machines. “The future of the labor market is a collaboration between humans and machines. Young people entering the labor market and shaping the new economy need to prepare now,” he said.

However, the WEF leader affirmed that technology is not replacing humans, but is redefining what only humans can do. When interacting with global businesses, the most sought-after skills in 2025 are not purely technical, but analytical thinking, adaptability, flexibility, leadership, social influence and creativity - abilities that are "naturally human".

Mr. Stephan Mergenthaler believes that the younger generation needs to prepare for three important shifts in thinking. First, change from competing with AI to cooperating with AI, considering technology as a tool to enhance personal power. Second, change from "learning once, using for life" to "continuous learning", updating skills according to the pace of technology development. Third, change from specialized thinking to interdisciplinary thinking, connecting knowledge in many fields to create new solutions - something that machines cannot replace.

WEF figures also show a strong pace of change: 77% of businesses will focus on retraining their existing workforce, 69% will recruit new employees with AI skills, and 62% will prioritize those who can work effectively with AI. “The future is not about AI replacing humans, but about hybrid teams,” he emphasized.

To illustrate, he cited a series of fields that are changing rapidly thanks to technology: The cost of batteries and energy storage is falling sharply, opening up a new model of sustainable development; biotechnology is reducing the cost of gene sequencing, promoting medical breakthroughs; and the space sector is recording unprecedentedly low launch costs, creating a promising space economy.

“As these changes occur simultaneously, the future of work becomes clearer than ever: Human labor must be combined with machines and artificial intelligence,” he concluded.

GenZ asks, experts answer: It is necessary to bring AI down to earth

Speakers answered questions about AI from young attendees at the Autumn Economic Forum 2025, morning session on November 25 (Photo: Organizing Committee).

Faced with young people's concerns about how to apply technology, experts have given a core message: It is necessary to change thinking, avoiding the common mistake of "thinking about technology before the problem".

Instead of abstract discussions about productivity or opening up new fields, the speakers argued that it is urgent to bring AI "down to earth". Artificial intelligence needs to be concretized into projects in businesses, acting as a partner to solve difficult problems that humans cannot completely handle, rather than being the starting point of all solutions.

Mr. Stephan Mergenthaler commented that the most effective public-private partnership model is the common learning community. There, businesses can learn from global experiences and receive support to implement "real problems". He emphasized that design thinking, the ability to ask questions and curiosity are still the roots for young people to approach AI correctly.

From the perspective of a technology enterprise, Mr. Dang Van Tu - CTO of CMC Corporation - affirmed that young human resources are the center of development. To expand the national AI human resources, Mr. Tu proposed 4 key policy groups.

Specifically, this technology leader recommends that a National AI Skills Competency Framework be soon developed to standardize requirements for each group of people, from students to experts. At the same time, the university-enterprise cooperation model needs to be innovated in the direction of "co-teaching": the school provides the theoretical foundation, the enterprise brings the infrastructure, data and practical projects. In addition, Mr. Tu also emphasized the importance of investing in open AI infrastructure for testing and enhancing international cooperation.

Sharing the same view, Dr. Ha Thi Thanh Huong (VNU-HCM) pointed out the great potential of AI in sustainable healthcare . She advised young people to deeply understand community issues before using AI as a tool to solve practical problems.

“Instead of blindly trusting in technology, we need to go back to the starting point”

Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son, along with leaders of Ho Chi Minh City, experts and businesses, kicked off the Autumn Economic Forum with a dialogue session with 500 young people (Photo: Organizing Committee).

Responding to a question from Metub CEO Ha Thi Tu Phuong about the future of the creative economy, the WEF representative said that this is a dynamic and unpredictable field. According to him, the development of AI is lowering the barriers to entry, helping individuals create great influence with limited resources. He predicted that creativity will explode in a "bottom-up" direction, while emphasizing the importance of equipping "digital cognitive intelligence" - the ability to distinguish information and use technology responsibly.

Notably, sharing the concerns of student Vy (RMIT University) about the current situation of young people being overly dependent on AI due to the fear of missing out, Mr. Stephan Mergenthaler admitted that many people are letting tools lead them instead of thinking reflectively.

The expert recommends that instead of blindly believing in technology, young people need to return to the starting point of contemplation. A common mistake is to apply technology to simple tasks. Instead, human resources need to identify the most difficult problems, then consider AI as a partner to deploy solutions.

Also at the forum, government representatives called on young people to actively study and start businesses to get rich. Ho Chi Minh City is affirmed to be the leading economic and innovation center. The government has been creating the most favorable institutional and decentralization conditions for the city to grow, becoming the best launching pad for young people to prepare for their future.

The Autumn Economic Forum 2025 is an international dialogue event hosted by Ho Chi Minh City, taking place from November 25 to 27. With the theme "Green transformation in the digital age", the Forum brings together government leaders, ministers of countries, leaders of international organizations such as the World Economic Forum (WEF), experts and business leaders.

On November 25, the Forum opened with an inspirational talkshow for young people and the CEO500 - TEA CONNECT program, connecting government leaders, WEF leaders and more than 500 global CEOs. The same evening, an official reception was held, hosted by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee.

November 26 is the focus of the forum, with a plenary session and five strategic reports on green transformation, smart economy, megacity governance, manufacturing and global supply chains.

The afternoon will see a dialogue between leaders of ministries, sectors and international experts, followed by a direct exchange between the Prime Minister and WEF Managing Director Stephan Mergenthaler.

November 27 focuses on field activities at CMC Data Center and Galaxy Innovation Hub, seminars with Vietnamese experts abroad, as well as a program connecting Vietnamese and Chinese businesses.

The same evening took place the Global C4IR Networking Night - held for the first time in Vietnam with the participation of 15 C4IR centers around the world.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/kinh-doanh/giam-doc-wef-nguoi-tre-can-chuan-bi-de-lam-viec-chung-voi-nguoi-may-20251125191556646.htm