India has joined a major World Economic Forum (WEF) initiative aimed at reskilling more than 850 million people worldwide, as the global economy undergoes rapid transformation driven by artificial intelligence, technological disruption and shifting labour markets.
The WEF on Friday announced the expansion of its Reskilling Revolution initiative, including the launch of new national skills and education accelerators in India and Jordan. With these additions, the global network now comprises 45 national accelerators, which have collectively supported 14.8 million people so far.
The India Accelerator will focus on addressing barriers to equitable access to skilling and employment opportunities, while the Jordan Accelerator will work on improving education quality through the use of emerging technologies. The accelerators bring together governments, businesses and civil society organisations to convert global insights into country-specific action on employment, skills development and inclusive growth.
The WEF said its Reskilling Revolution is nearing its goal of equipping one billion people with better access to skills, education and economic opportunities, and remains on track to reach over 850 million individuals globally.
As artificial intelligence, geoeconomic shifts and the energy transition reshape labour markets, preparing workers for future jobs has become an urgent global priority. The latest commitments under the initiative span corporate pledges, university-employer partnerships and national accelerators focused on redesigning pathways into the workforce, supporting job transitions and ensuring long-term employability.
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More than 25 technology companies have pledged to support 120 million workers with access to AI tools, skills training and employment pathways. New commitments have been announced by firms including Adobe, Cisco, SAP, Salesforce, ServiceNow, Snowflake, Wipro and Workday.
WEF Managing Director Saadia Zahidi said the global economy is experiencing its most significant transformation in decades, but the future of work remains open to shaping. “How it unfolds for workers depends on opportunities for learning, support for job transitions and backing for entrepreneurship,” she said, adding that the latest announcements represent decisive action to ensure inclusive growth.
The initiative currently works with 79 economies and 18 industries, supported by more than 350 organisations and over 35 chief executives. Most commitments under the programme focus on AI and digital skills, while also emphasising human-centric capabilities and prioritising entry-level roles that are most vulnerable to disruption.
New research conducted with PwC, based on a survey of 9,000 entry-level workers across 48 countries, revealed widespread anxiety over job security and skills relevance amid AI-driven change. To address this, the WEF has launched a Learning-to-Earning Sandbox, connecting universities, employers and governments to pilot models that integrate paid work experience with skills development.
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