The US lags behind 8 other countries in AI and automation readiness
Hold the narrative about self-aware artificial intelligence wiping out the human race, at least for now. We’ve got more pressing issues.
According to a study published last week, the United States is quickly falling behind other developed nations in preparing workers for a future driven by AI and automation. The Automation Readiness Index looks at 25 advanced economies to determine which is making the greatest strides in preparing their workforce for an automated future.
Researchers broke it down into three main categories: innovation environment (money spent on research and development, and investment in the space), school policies (early education and lifelong curricula), and public workforce development (government-led programs, re-training of workers).
ABB Group praised three countries leading the pack — South Korea, Germany, and Singapore — while noting even the leaders in this space weren’t quite ready for what’s to come.
Rounding out the top five were Japan (4) and Canada (5). The US made the top 10, but just barely. If you squint, you’ll see it nestled snuggly between the UK (8) and Australia (9).
You can point the finger in a lot of directions for the low ranking, but two factors stand out: a lack of progress in developing curricula meant to serve tomorrow’s workforce and our sluggish (and uninspired) regulatory environment.
Leaders in the space have adapted their education models to teach in-demand skills starting during impressionable primary school years. South Korea, Singapore, and Japan are just three of numerous countries who have prioritized STEM in early education, and adapted the curriculum to teach everything from computer science to robotics before most US students learn Algebra or how to type.
China, which is not a leader in this space (14th in education), is even experimenting with curricula meant to prioritize creativity and experience over memorization and standardized testing.
But that’s the easy part. Adapting early education and easing children into additional STEM courses is straightforward.
