Global CEOs and Tech Titans Join Forces to Tackle AI Skills Shortage

CIOTechOutlook Team | Tuesday, 06 May 2025, 14:15 IST

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In a powerful call to action, more than 250 global business leaders—including Microsoft’s Satya Nadella, Adobe’s Shantanu Narayen, IBM’s Arvind Krishna, Dell Technologies’ Michael Dell, and LinkedIn Co-Founder Reid Hoffman—have signed an open letter urging early and equitable access to foundational computer science and AI skills for all students. These leaders are advocating for policy solutions that ensure every student has access to the foundational skills.

This collective push marks the launch of Unlock8, a national campaign spearheaded by Code.org and CSforALL. The initiative is focused on advancing policy solutions that ensure every student is equipped with the skills necessary to thrive in an AI-driven world.

Support for the campaign spans a wide range of industries. Among the signatories are Robert Isom, CEO of American Airlines; Lisa Su, CEO of AMD; Brian Chesky, Co-Founder of Airbnb; and Sal Khan, Founder of Khan Academy—underscoring a growing consensus across sectors that AI literacy is becoming as fundamental as reading and math.

Adding to the campaign’s urgency, new research from the University of Maryland shows that taking even a single computer science course in high school can lead to an 8 percent increase in early career earnings, regardless of a student's chosen career or college path.

With Artificial Intelligence and Big Data identified by the World Economic Forum as the fastest-growing workplace skills, and two-thirds of employers expected to hire AI talent in the next five years, the timing of this campaign is critical.

“Computer science and AI unlock a doorway to skills K–12 students need to thrive in an economy that changes by the minute,” said Cameron Wilson, President of Code.org. “That’s why over 250 CEOs are supporting states in making CS and AI coursework the norm.”

Despite notable progress—39 states now allocate funding for computer science and 60 percent of high schools offer CS courses—only 12 states currently require the subject for graduation. Alarmingly, just 6.4 percent of students took a CS course last year.

The message is clear: If we want a workforce ready for the future, AI and computer science must become core to every student’s education.


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