Businesses urged to accelerate investments in AI, digital skills

KARACHI: Experts have urged the Pakistani organisations to accelerate massive investment in digital and artificial intelligence (AI) readiness to equip their workforce for the rapidly changing world of work. They stressed that this preparation should go beyond technical skills to strengthen critical thinking, creativity, communication and other human capabilities that technology cannot easily replace. Speaking about human resource development in the current AI era, Shahrukh Masood, Chief People Officer at Martin Dow Group, has said that with the emerging AI, organisations need to focus on continuous learning, skill development and preparing employees for changing workplace demands to perform better. He said the future of work is rapidly shifting from traditional job titles to skills, digital capabilities and adaptability, with AI expected to become an integral part of the workplace for an improved output. Pakistan; however, risks falling behind unless it urgently bridges the gap between academic qualifications and the employability skills demanded by a changing economy, including critical thinking, communication, digital fluency, problem-solving and adaptability, he added. “Pakistan has tremendous potential because we have a young workforce, but it is not yet fully prepared. The pace of change in the workplace demands a much more fundamental shake-up of how we design and deliver education, ” he said. He said that Pakistan needs a much stronger bridge between education and employment. Universities should place greater emphasis on practical application, critical thinking, communication, technology and problem-solving, he said and added that at the same time, businesses need to engage earlier with educational institutions through internships, apprenticeships, industry projects, mentoring and exposure to real workplaces. He also highlighted the potential of AI to democratise access to high-quality learning and career guidance, particularly for young people who may lack access to traditional professional networks, mentors and career development opportunities. “AI should be viewed as a workforce transformation challenge rather than merely an IT initiative, requiring organisations to identify which jobs and tasks are likely to change, which skills will become more valuable and where employees will need to be reskilled, ” he said. He also stressed the need to build a culture of continuous learning, saying the skills required today may not remain relevant five years from now. Employees should be encouraged to share ideas, question existing practices, experiment and learn from failure. Learning, he added, should extend beyond formal training to practical experience and professional growth. The UAE, he noted, has demonstrated the value of deliberate investment in talent, technology, international exposure and diverse workforces. Pakistani organisations can draw valuable lessons from this experience while developing workforce models suited to the country’s own economic, social and business environment. “We also need to become more comfortable with diversity of thought, international experience and non-linear career paths, ” he added. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026

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