One Young World leaders call for urgent investment in youth amid AI disruption

At the inauguration of the One Young World Summit 2026 in Cape Town, leaders from various sectors issued a strong call for substantial investment in youth amid the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence. Corporate executives, educators, and government officials gathered near Table Mountain to challenge the notion that recent graduates are ill-equipped for the contemporary economy, insisting that businesses must shoulder the responsibility of providing pathways for the next generation.

Charise Le, the Chief Human Resources Officer at Schneider Electric, vigorously defended the hiring of new graduates, even those lacking extensive professional experience. She argued that companies should forge stronger partnerships with educational institutions to ensure that academic curricula align with the evolving demands of industry. Le emphasized that every professional begins their career somewhere, and companies should focus on helping young people bridge the gap between education and employment.

The summit also addressed the growing concerns among young jobseekers about the potential obsolescence due to artificial intelligence. However, summit speakers framed technological disruption as an opportunity to reinvent the workplace rather than replace human talent. Machanis highlighted that employers have a duty to continually reskill and mentor their staff, asserting that technology should augment human ingenuity rather than replace it.

While technical skills remain crucial, employers placed the greatest value on distinctly human attributes such as critical thinking, robust communication, collaboration, and networking. Le concluded that the role of employers in upskilling and reskilling the workforce is paramount in facilitating the transformation of the workforce.

In addition to business responsibilities, political representation emerged as a critical demand. Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis dismissed the common phrase that young people are merely the leaders of tomorrow, emphasizing that vital decisions concerning urban planning, climate action, economic strategy, and digital governance are often made without their input.

Drawing parallels to the 1976 Soweto uprising, Hill-Lewis reminded delegates that young people have historically been active catalysts for societal change, not passive observers. He urged delegates to recognize youth as active participants in democratic processes, underlining that casting a ballot remains a vital right that must not be surrendered to apathy.

The summit in Cape Town set a clear agenda for the remainder of the week, moving beyond polite encouragement. If the promises of the digital age are to be realized equitably, institutions must bridge the gap between academic theory and industry practice, dismantling barriers that prevent young people from accessing opportunities in the workforce.