ISLAMABAD: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has launched a national platform using artificial intelligence (AI) to align academic training with labor market needs, as automation reshapes employment conditions across the world.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) said the UAE Skills Platform uses data analysis and demand forecasting to determine which skills future jobs will require. The ministry said it is designed to guide students and universities toward decisions that reflect both current hiring conditions and long-term market projections.

The launch follows a separate but related effort. The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHESR) said 48 universities have joined the National Work Experience Platform, built alongside MOHRE and the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council, Nafis.

In its first three months, 37 public and private training providers listed 545 internship and work placement opportunities across finance, technology, engineering, accounting, marketing, and data fields, according to MoHESR.

Both initiatives come as research institutions document deepening pressure on global labor markets. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates that 40% of jobs worldwide carry meaningful exposure to AI-driven disruption. Within that group, the IMF calculates that roughly half face reduced demand for human labor, while the other half are likely to see productivity gains.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) puts the number of positions at direct automation risk at around 75 million — 2.3% of global employment. In wealthier nations, that share climbs to 5.1 %, according to ILO data.

The burden is not shared equally. ILO figures show women are 2.5 times more likely than men to face job displacement through AI, given their higher concentration in administrative, clerical, and customer-facing work.

The Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI found that employment growth among young workers in AI-exposed fields, including entry-level software and data roles, is running 16% below comparable sectors.

A study published on SSRN projects 85 million jobs will be structurally displaced globally, against a projected creation of 97 million new positions. Economists cited in the research warn the net gain masks a significant skills mismatch, as workers leaving routine roles are rarely positioned to move directly into technical fields such as cybersecurity, AI development, or data engineering without substantial retraining.

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UAE deploys AI skills tool to ready workforce for shifting job market