By Jeff Maggioncalda, CEO of Coursera
Today, the World Economic Forum released the Future of Jobs Report 2025, disclosing that advancements in technology, economic conditions, population changes, and the transition to green energy will significantly alter labor markets globally. By 2030, 92 million positions will be lost, while 170 million new jobs will be generated, resulting in a net gain of 78 million. Data from Coursera in the report highlights an essential trend regarding emerging technologies: the rising worldwide acceptance of generative AI is leading to an increased demand for GenAI training.
According to data from more than 1,000 corporations, the report reveals that the skills gap continues to be the largest obstacle to business transformation, with nearly 40% of job competencies expected to evolve, and 63% of employers identifying this as their foremost challenge. AI and other rapidly advancing technologies are revolutionizing business frameworks and necessitating new employee upskilling directives:
- Half of employers aim to realign their businesses in response to AI
- 80% intend to enhance skills of employees through AI training and two-thirds plan to recruit individuals with specialized AI capabilities, while merely 40% plan to downsize their workforce as AI automates certain functions.
- 85% of employers plan to develop their workforce owing to increasing skills shortages – with half of companies intending to shift personnel into expanding roles.
- 73% aim to automate additional processes
- 70% plan to recruit individuals with new competencies
The report also outlines the roles experiencing the fastest growth and decline, largely influenced by innovations in AI, robotics, and enhanced digital accessibility:
Online education will be crucial in tackling the extensive skills gap, facilitating workforce transformation, and assisting job transitions. Coursera data related to the Future of Jobs Report 2025 indicates a considerable rise in interest for Generative AI training from both individual and organizational learners:
- Out of nearly 7.4 million AI enrollments on the platform in 2024, over 3.2 million were in GenAI training – averaging six enrollments per minute (up from two enrollments per minute for GenAI content in 2023). India and the United States topped the enrollment statistics.
- Individual learners on Coursera concentrated on foundational skills and conceptual areas, such as prompt engineering, ethical AI practices, and strategic decision-making regarding AI.
- Enterprise-sponsored learners focused on practical uses that yield immediate enhancements in workplace productivity, such as AI tools to boost efficiency in Excel or create new applications.
The world’s leading technology firms and research universities have launched over 670 courses and guided projects on Coursera in reaction to the growing global emphasis on AI. This includes GenAI-enhanced Professional Certificates, designed to prepare workers without a college degree or prior experience for digital job roles increasingly requiring GenAI expertise, and the GenAI Academy, aimed at equipping organizations and their employees with GenAI literacy skills, leadership and executive education, as well as role-specific training for high-impact job functions.
Addressing these transformations necessitates more than individual efforts. Businesses, government entities, and educational institutions must collaborate to identify and train the workforce on new and forthcoming competencies. Coursera and our partners are dedicated to cooperating with institutions worldwide to enhance their skills strategies and convert challenges into opportunities for inclusive development.
For more information on the global skills and job landscape, explore the WEF Future of Jobs Report 2025. To empower your workforce, visit coursera.org/business.
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