It can replicate it and borrow concepts from the artists it “learns” from, but at the end of the day AI is just code; a computer. It cannot feel the emotions, passions, or motivations behind different art mediums and forms, therefore it will never truly be a replacement for it.

However, the skills that matter most are not only technical. Young people need empathy, teamwork, leadership, resilience, ethical judgment, and the ability to build meaningful relationships. These human capabilities help us understand people, work together, manage challenges, and make responsible decisions.

AI can support and accelerate our work, but it cannot replace the value of human empathy, compassion, lived experience, moral responsibility, and genuine human connection. The future should therefore not be about competing with AI, but about learning how to use AI responsibly while strengthening the uniquely human qualities that make our communities stronger.

By 2030, I believe the most successful young people will be those who combine technological confidence with creativity, integrity, empathy, and a commitment to solving real problems in their communities.

Thank you very much for giving me this opportunity to share my view and opinion.

Selon Helly GBENE, CEO du Cabinet d’Ingénierie de Formation & Consulting, Expert en veille stratégique et développement, Data Scientist et Expert en ingénierie pédagogique, des compétences et de la formation :

« D’ici 2030, le véritable avantage des jeunes ne sera pas de savoir utiliser l’IA, mais de savoir penser, décider et créer avec elle. »

Les compétences les plus décisives seront la pensée critique, l’adaptabilité, la résolution de problèmes complexes, la culture numérique et data, l’intelligence entrepreneuriale, la créativité et l’apprentissage continu.

Mais certaines capacités resteront profondément humaines : le discernement, l’empathie, l’éthique, le leadership, la capacité à donner du sens et à construire la confiance. L’IA peut produire, calculer et prédire ; elle ne peut pas porter seule une vision, une responsabilité ou une conviction.

Pour les jeunes du monde entier, l’enjeu n’est donc plus de choisir entre l’humain et l’IA, mais de devenir des talents augmentés : compétents avec la technologie, irremplaçables par leur humanité.

By 2030, young people will require more than digital competencies. They will need environmental awareness, creativity, leadership, teamwork, critical thinking, cultural literacy, and strong collaboration skills to effectively address climate challenges.

At MCFA, we believe that youth should learn about forests through direct, experiential engagement rather than classroom instruction alone. We therefore propose forest education excursions where they can gain first-hand understanding of biodiversity, water systems, soil health, climate resilience, and sustainable livelihoods.

We also propose an annual Forest Art, Culture, and Heritage Conference for children and youth. This platform would use art, music, storytelling, and traditional knowledge to strengthen their connection to forests and reinforce their responsibility toward environmental stewardship.

Future-ready skills include:

• Leadership and teamwork for ecosystem protection

• Critical thinking and problem-solving for climate challenges

• Creativity and innovation in communication and solution development

• Digital literacy for mapping, data analysis, and communication

• Environmental and climate literacy

• Effective communication across communities and generations

• Cultural knowledge and traditional ecological wisdom

• Entrepreneurship and green skills for sustainable livelihoods

Artificial intelligence can support learning, analysis, and communication; however, it cannot replace empathy, cultural identity, connection to nature, moral responsibility, creativity, or lived experience.

Our vision is to empower youth to engage directly with forests, learn from communities, express themselves through art, participate in tree planting, and lead climate action initiatives.

I firmly believe that planting a tree is an act of planting hope. Investing in youth is, therefore, an investment in forests, communities, and a sustainable future.

Peter Warui
CEO/Founder, Molo Constituency Forest Association (MCFA)
Children and Youth Major Group (UNEP)

By 2030, technologies, industries, and jobs will evolve faster than any curriculum can keep up with. The most future-ready young people will be those who can learn, unlearn, experiment, and rebuild their skills when the world around them changes.

And by communication, I don’t just mean speaking well. I mean knowing how to advocate for yourself, volunteer, share your knowledge, build relationships, express your ideas, and contribute meaningfully.

Because good communication also prepares you for access. You may not know when the opportunity will come. You may not know who will open the door for you.But when that door finally opens, you should be prepared enough to maximize the access.

I believe a lot of young people have the talent, but sometimes they haven’t learned how to communicate their value, tell their stories, contribute to conversations, or position themselves for opportunities.

So for me, communication is not just about having a voice.

It is knowing how to use that voice to create value, advocate for others, advocate for yourself, and make an impact.

Because when access comes, you shouldn’t just enter the room. You should be ready to contribute and deliver value.

Ex. Using AI to read and summarize something might save time, but in the end, it may not be beneficial because you do not come to your own conclusions and have a true understanding.

Having an idea is one thing. Turning that idea into action, taking ownership, staying committed when things get difficult, bringing people along, and actually delivering results, that’s a completely different skill.

I believe we have so many young people with brilliant ideas and the potential to create change. What we need is more young people who are willing to move from ideas to action and from action to impact.

This is something I’m personally learning through building Global Visibility Circle, a community I’m creating with the goal of making visibility a pathway to opportunities for young people across the globe, starting with Nigeria.

I’m learning that building something meaningful requires more than having a vision. It requires consistency, ownership, resilience, collaboration and the discipline to keep going when things don’t go as planned.

Because the change we need is possible.

But we need more young people to step up, take ownership, and play their part.Starting is important.

But turning your idea into something that creates lasting impact is the real work.

Intelligence émotionnelle et surtout la communication fluide.

Self-awareness is easily overlooked but I believe to be powerful enough to change lives on a monumental scale.

Adaptability. By 2030, the world of work and technology will have evolved even more dramatically. Young people will need to be able to learn, unlearn, and reinvent themselves continuously in order to remain active drivers of change.

En 2030, le monde du travail et les technologies auront encore profondément évolué. Les jeunes devront être capables d’apprendre, de désapprendre et de se réinventer constamment pour rester acteurs du changement.

Adaptability.

By 2030, the world of work and technology will have evolved significantly. Young people will need to be able to continuously learn, unlearn, and reinvent themselves in order to remain active agents of change.

Digital literacy and AI skills will certainly be important, but some of the most valuable skills will be deeply human: critical thinking, creativity, emotional intelligence, communication, empathy, resilience, collaboration and leadership.

Young people must be equipped not only to use technology, but to understand it, question it and use it responsibly to solve real problems in their communities.

I also believe that confidence and adaptability will be essential. The jobs and opportunities available in 2030 may look very different from what we know today, so young people need to become lifelong learners who are not afraid to start again, acquire new skills and embrace change.

Most importantly, we must not lose sight of community and human connection. AI can generate information, analyse data and automate tasks, but it cannot replace genuine empathy, lived experience, purpose, compassion or the relationships we build with one another.

For me, being future-ready means preparing young people to be technologically capable, but also courageous, compassionate, creative and purpose-driven leaders who can use the opportunities of the future to create positive change in their communities and beyond.

I think a lot of us are forgetting soft skills as we are learning the other more popular ones.

The world is changing faster than any generation before us has experienced. By 2030, knowledge will continue to evolve, technology will reshape how we work, and many of the skills we rely on today may no longer be enough. What will matter most is the willingness to remain curious, question what we know, learn from change and grow with it.

A future ready young person is not someone who knows everything. It is someone who knows how to keep learning.

In a world changing rapidly through technology, conflict, and inequality, empathy allows young people to understand others, protect the vulnerable, challenge violence, and build safer communities. It is the foundation of leadership, collaboration, peace, and humanity.

When empathy is taught and practiced, it becomes a powerful tool for preventing abuse, supporting survivors, and creating a future where every person can live with dignity and safety.

#keephersafe

AI can process information, recognize patterns, and even simulate supportive responses, but it cannot truly feel another person’s pain, fear, or hope. The ability to sit with someone in their suffering, offer genuine comfort, protect the vulnerable, and choose kindness is a deeply human capacity.

Compassion is what turns awareness into action and technology into something that serves humanity rather than replacing it.

There's a huge competition around the world and every individual including me, is having tough time to consistently pursue our goals. Notable reasons could be pressure, multiple choices and opportunities, time management, lack of self confidence and peer environment. One thing I'd recommend is to stick to multiple things, but only if you're able to give your best for each aspect in a long term. There'll be many changes, be flexible but don't change too often. Complete a task and start a new one. Don't leave all activities half way through (basically incomplete).

2. AI DIPLOMACY and Negotiation

3. Feelings and Emotions

The level of understanding on the precerps of AI and the changes that it has brought on the world we are living in

While AI can process data, model scenarios, and automate workflows, it cannot experience human vulnerability, build deep trust, or make complex ethical judgments rooted in shared lived experience. Moral courage, emotional connection, and consensus-building will remain distinctly human capacities.

The important skill to improve is understanding people as human rights as well.

Communication, because the lectures and academics know different AI languages or purely human languages. So, in this transformation technology we have still adapt to improve every skills in communication. Such as public speaking, personal identity, body language.

And im grateful when i study humanity major right now, so many lessons I’ve learned but I can’t explain with this time.

If you read this until the end, i really appreciate it.

May Allah give us easier way than yesterday , better for tomorrow and the best for today.

See my life growth in my content account @cu.konten or you can connect with me in LinkedIn (Muhammad Yusuf Alfatsani)

The floor is yours 🙏✨

1 . EMPATHY

2. Analytical thinking

3. Critical thinking

Al skill

Data analysis skill

For 2030, I believe every young person needs "Digital Skills + Initiative".

In Morocco, young people have energy, ideas, and dreams, but we need more opportunities to lead.

We are ready to build the future of our country and represent it to the world.

I want to be the voice of Moroccan youth at the United Nations. #Youth2030 #Morocco

We see posts that tell young people to quit education.

Some promote illegal ways to get money.

This makes youth lose hope and passion for studying.

The solution is Awareness + Action.

1. Teach that real success comes from knowledge and integrity.

2. Create more workshops and clubs to help youth discover their passion by 2030.

We must have the courage to say: This is NOT normal.

Let's build a conscious generation.

What do you think?

AI can copy the way we communicate, show empathy, and even be creative, but it can’t truly feel emotions or build genuine human connections like we do. As AI becomes a bigger part of our lives, emotional intelligence will become even more important because technology can automate many tasks, but real human connection can never be replaced.

It goes beyond simply having a technical skill: AI and technology will keep changing, but the ability to adapt will remain valuable.

By 2030, young people will need the ability to continuously learn, unlearn, and adapt to rapid changes in technology, work, and society. Being adaptable means staying curious, embracing new tools like AI, thinking critically, and turning uncertainty into opportunities.

In addition e-learning platform at our various domicile especially for youth about true democracy on how it worth to be regulated out of any wrong manipulation that can let there self in destitute condition for generation.

Creativity that can enhance in economic development and mitigate the conditions of learning sphere as well as such.

The "city skills" framework you propose is precisely what is missing from the global conversation about the future of work. It is especially urgent in Latin American contexts where:

• Talented human capital leaves without transferring local learning

• Degraded public spaces demand professional intelligence for transformation

• Narratives of urban abandonment contrast sharply with possibilities for placemaking and territorial impact

• Young generations—as reflected in WEF reports on youth—seek purpose tied to place, not merely global employability

Your city is your laboratory and your legacy.

Skills

My answer is compassion and empathy.

Other possible skills you could choose:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) skills

Communication skills

Critical thinking and problem-solving

Leadership

Entrepreneurship

Data analysis

Creativity and innovation

For me, critical thinking matters most. With so much information available online, I think it is important to know how to question information, understand problems, and make good decisions rather than simply accepting everything we see or hear.c

I would say empathy. AI can process information and respond to people, but genuine human empathy comes from understanding another person's feelings and experiences. Being able to listen, care, encourage others, and connect with people on a human level is something I believe will always remain valuable.

Dans mon travail sur un système de surveillance des niveaux d'eau à Sô-Ava, j'ai appris qu'une innovation n'a de valeur que si elle reste utilisable par ceux qui en ont le plus besoin. Cette compétence allier rigueur scientifique et ancrage communautaire sera, à mon sens, l'une des plus déterminantes pour la jeunesse face aux crises climatiques à venir.

Top 5 Future-Ready Skills for 2026 and beyond:

1. Digital Literacy: Using hardware, software, communication networks, and data confidently.

Reason: Every job will use tech. In hospitality: POS systems, booking software, guest apps, Wi-Fi troubleshooting.

2. Critical Thinking + Decision Making: Analyzing data and making smart choices when there's no clear answer.

Reason: AI gives you info, but YOU decide what to do with it.

3. Communication & Collaboration: Explaining ideas clearly, working in teams, serving customers.

Reason: Tech changes, but people skills don’t. This is huge in service industries.

4. Adaptability + Lifelong Learning : Learning new software/tools fast when things change.

Reason: The tools you use today will be outdated in 3 years.

5. Creativity: Coming up with new ideas, better guest experiences, new solutions.

Reason: AI can copy. Humans invent.

Quick Formula for 2026:

Tech Skills + Human Skills = Future Proof

Tech: Digital literacy, Data use

Human: Communication, Problem-solving, Adaptability

For someone in hospitality/tourism in Lusaka, the combo that wins is: Digital Literacy + Customer Service + Problem Solving

Because even ai and robots are made they a person to monitor and manufacturer them .

Technology is changing fast through AI, clean energy, electric mobility, automation, and digital systems. But skills alone are not enough. Young people must know how to identify real community problems, design practical solutions, communicate their value, and keep learning as the world changes.

For me, as someone working in solar energy, EV mobility, green hydrogen, and technical training, I believe future-ready youth must be skilled, ethical, creative, and impact-driven.

AI can support us, but it cannot replace integrity, empathy, purpose, leadership, and the human desire to serve communities.

Réponse : La compétence indispensable d'ici 2030 ne sera pas technique, ce sera l'Adaptabilité Cognitive - la capacité à apprendre, désapprendre et réapprendre en permanence.

Pourquoi ? Le monde de 2030 va être bouleversé par 3 chocs :

1. L'IA va remplacer les tâches, pas l'humain

Tous les métiers répétitifs vont disparaître.

2. Le climat et les crises vont exiger de la résilience

La compétence clé c'est la résolution de problèmes complexes avec peu de moyens. C'est l'esprit d'entrepreneur humanitaire : transformer un problème (déchets, chômage, déplacement) en solution locale.

3. Le savoir est partout, le jugement nulle part

Avec TikTok et ChatGPT, tout le monde a accès à l'information. La rareté en 2030, ce sera la Pensée Critique : savoir distinguer le vrai du faux, le buzz de l'essentiel, et prendre une décision éthique rapidement.

En résumé, les 3 sous-compétences concrètes à développer maintenant :

- Apprendre à apprendre : 30 min par jour à apprendre une nouvelle chose seul, sans professeur

- Intelligence émotionnelle et collaboration : savoir travailler en équipe, gérer un conflit, parler en public - l'IA ne sait pas faire ça

- Compétence numérique créative : pas seulement consommer sur WhatsApp, mais produire : créer un visuel, monter une petite vidéo, vendre un service en ligne.

Pour la jeunesse congolaise spécifiquement, j'ajouterais : la compétence entrepreneuriale verte. D'ici 2030, les plus gros emplois seront dans l'agriculture durable, le recyclage, l'énergie solaire, la restauration des écosystèmes.

The skill that every young person needs by 2030 is Cognitive agility this means the mental ability to quickly, smoothly, and effectively switch between different thinking styles, adapt to new information, and solve complex problems in changing environments.

Critical thinking and skepticism are crucially essential for finding the truth in the age of AI and hallucinations.

Different thinking and thinking creatively at the spot the right way or bring new thoughts and ideas that no one has said or brought yet.

For me, I Would Recommend 12 Skills to Young People. ☺️☺️

1. 🤖 Mastering AI

You don’t necessarily need to become a computer scientist. You need to know how to use ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Copilot, automation tools, AI for research, data analysis, content creation, and more.

The goal: not to be replaced by someone who knows how to use AI better than you.

2. 💻 Having Strong Digital Literacy

You should know how to work with:

• Google Workspace / Microsoft Office

• Canva

• Collaboration tools

• Cloud services

• Social media

• No-code tools

• Automation

3. 📊 Knowing How to Work with Data

Advanced Excel, Power BI, basic statistics, data collection and cleaning, data visualization, and interpretation.

This is particularly useful for careers in surveys, monitoring and evaluation, agriculture, NGOs, projects, and businesses.

4. 🧠 Analytical Thinking and Problem-Solving

This is probably one of the most important skills. The WEF still ranks analytical thinking among the key skills employers are looking for.

You need to learn to ask yourself:

“What is the real problem? What are its causes? What data can prove it? What solution is realistic?”

5. 🎨 Creativity

Knowing how to create:

• A business idea

• A campaign

• A video

• A visual

• A product

• A solution to a problem

AI can generate a huge amount of content, but the ability to identify an interesting problem and imagine a good solution remains extremely valuable.

6. 🗣️ Communication

Knowing how to speak in public, write properly, present a project, negotiate, persuade, and tell a story.

An excellent professional who cannot explain their value may be less visible than someone who is simply competent but highly skilled at communication.

7. 🇬🇧 English

Honestly, for a young African who is preparing for 2030, I would rank English very high.

Why? Because a huge amount of training, research, technological tools, documentation, and international opportunities are available in English.

8. 💰 Financial Literacy

Understanding:

• Budgeting

• Saving

• Investing

• Credit

• Interest rates

• Basic taxation

• Business management

• The difference between revenue, profit, and cash flow

A young person can earn a lot of money and still remain poor if they don’t know how to manage it.

9. 📱 Personal Branding + Content Creation

Today, your digital identity can become a real business card.

LinkedIn, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, portfolio, digital CV…

You need to know how to show what you can do, not just say that you can do it.

10. 🤝 Leadership and Interpersonal Skills

Knowing how to work in a team, listen, manage conflicts, build a network, lead a project, and collaborate with different people.

The WEF also expects resilience, leadership, and social influence to become increasingly important.

11. 🌱 Understanding Environmental Issues

Climate change, sustainable agriculture, energy, the circular economy, resource management, carbon, climate adaptation…

This is not only for environmental specialists. The green transition is expected to significantly transform the job market by 2030.

12. 🧗‍♂️ Learning How to Learn

For me, this is the mother of all skills.

Because a skill learned today may become less relevant tomorrow.

You therefore need to be able to say:

“I don’t know this technology yet, but I know how to learn it.”

Critical thinking. In a world shaped by climate change, AI, and misinformation, young people need to question information, understand different perspectives, and make informed decisions that contribute to a more sustainable and inclusive future.

“Critical thinking and adaptability. Every young person needs the ability to think critically, adapt to change, solve problems, and keep learning as technology and the world continue to evolve.

It’s less about learning how to code and more about knowing how to prompt the tech, catch its mistakes, and use it to handle the boring stuff—leaving you free to focus on the human side of things like strategy, empathy, and creative problem-solving.

Sure, it can mimic it but never actually feel it. It only knows what's right and wrong and whatever benefits itself. It learns how to comfort and act empathetic from human words and behavior, but it will always end up cold and meaningless since there is no real feeling, consciousness, nor intention behind it.

Answer:By 2030, every young person needs climate legal literacy the ability to understand environmental law and use it as a tool for justice. Climate change is fast becoming the biggest driver of displacement, resource conflict, and inequality, and most young people don’t know their environmental rights or how policy actually gets made and enforced. As someone studying law in Nigeria, I’ve seen how weak enforcement of forest and land laws lets exploitation go unchecked, especially in vulnerable communities. Young people who understand how to hold governments and corporations accountable through law will be the ones shaping a fairer, more sustainable future not just reacting to the damage.

Digital & Data Literacy combined with Critical Thinking. As AI and technology reshape our world, young people need to not only navigate digital tools and analyze data effectively, but also critically evaluate information to make ethical, informed decisions for their communities.

Artificial intelligence might never be able to develop what I call "emotional intelligence", passion and drive for change and a vision for a better tomorrow. This youth network doesn't only bring together strong minded youths with a drive for change and development but also promotes cooperation, leadership, providing assistance and relief with empathy, and creating brighter spots in the world.

We have compassion for what we do and that's something AI can never be able to imitate.