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AI changes faster than workplaces can adapt, Dubai Future Foundation report says
By 2060, 52 people may be unemployed for every 100 working, highlighting the need for human skills
- PUBLISHED: Wed 1 Jul 2026, 3:37 PM
Technology in the workplace is advancing faster than human and organisational systems can adapt to it, according to a new report from Dubai Future Foundation.
In many workplaces, AI is being integrated through workflow optimisation — automating processes, assigning tasks, and enabling fewer people to produce more output in less time. Yet deeper systems like hiring, job design, and workplace culture have barely shifted. Organisations continue to optimise for speed rather than redesigning the experience of work itself.
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The report captures ideas and questions from the Dubai Future Forum 2025, the world's largest gathering of futurists. It raises a sharp question: what might we lose when productivity is defined primarily by speed? AI can make work faster, but that does not automatically make it better or more meaningful.
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Shifts in employment
This challenge is compounded by profound demographic shifts. According to the OECD Employment Outlook 2025, the old-age dependency ratio — the number of individuals aged 65 and above relative to the working-age population — is projected to rise from 31 per cent in 2023 to 52 per cent by 2060. In practical terms, for every 100 people working, 52 may be without employment, placing immense strain on economies and social systems. Without decisive policy action, GDP per capita growth across the OECD could slow by about 40 per cent. The OECD warns that the challenge has shifted “from a shortage of jobs to a shortage of workers”.
In response, speakers at the forum emphasised that the “new premium” skills in the workplace will be distinctly human. It highlighted the need for judgement, ethical reasoning, imagination, sense-making, and relational leadership. It noted that as knowledge becomes fluid and ambiguity becomes more constant, the ability to interpret and contextualise will become more important.
Change in education system
The forum also highlighted the shift in academic institutions. As AI reshapes research and development, universities are expected to move from leading innovation to coordinating it across sectors.
It pointed out that what it means to be human in the future isn't about having more data or better gadgets. It's about holding onto abilities like curiosity, imagination, and the ability to focus. It warned that if schools and workplaces keep pushing for quick answers and guaranteed results, these human skills will fade. Instead, they should focus on intentionally protecting and practicing them. This will ensure that the younger generation can make wiser decisions and stay in control of their futures.
