The world faces an amazing job challenge, says Microsoft president

The world faces an astonishing job challenge with a quarter billion people losing their jobs this year, the Microsoft president said.

Brad Smith says millions will need to learn new skills to get a job, or even hold on to the old one, as the digitization of economies progresses.

Microsoft recently announced a plan to provide skills and training to 25 million people worldwide this year.

It will offer training, skills, certifications and help finding a job.

The company will do so with the help of Microsoft-owned LinkedIn. However, Mr. Smith admitted that many jobs in many countries would be outside the scope of digital recycling.

“It is true that the nature of work varies widely across the world. Not all jobs can be digitized, especially in the developing world.

“We live in a world of inequality on the Internet: if we don’t do something about it, we are going to exacerbate all the other inequalities that we all worry about. This is a task beyond any company or government, but if we can we will reach 25 million of people and we will feel that we are doing our part. “

Microsoft will spend $ 20 million (£ 19.6 million) on this program, which will surprise many as quite small given that this is a company whose value has increased by $ 500 billion in the last year.

If great American technology seemed powerful before Covid-19, now it seems imperious. Only five companies represent 20% of the value of the S&P 500 Index. Do you understand why many feel that great technology is too powerful and needs to be controlled?

“Technology is a powerful tool, but it can also be a formidable weapon in the wrong hands,” he says. “So this is a critical time for technology, you have more responsibility than ever.”

“I think people have more questions than ever and that is not a bad thing. To ensure that technology is a force for good, governments must move faster to develop technology-focused laws. While technology companies must exercise some restraint. ” “

‘Nothing can be solved without us’

Reaching a global agreement on how to regulate and tax technology has proven to be notoriously difficult, and many countries are nervous as the increasing digitization of their economies makes it more difficult to generate the tax revenue they will have to pay for the trillions of dollars. in damages that Covid-19 has. done.

Advances in technology will also lead to an increase in automation and artificial intelligence that can only accelerate mass unemployment. What responsibility does Mr. Smith feel that technology companies have to pay for the job changes they are introducing?

“I think the good news is that governments have all the tools they need to make sure technology companies remain responsive and accountable under the rule of law,” he says.

“Fundamentally, the responsibility of companies and countries is to make sure that people have the skills to make sure they reap the benefits rather than suffer the consequences of the unleashed changes.

“I think we should all recognize that technology cannot solve everything, but that nothing can be solved without us.”