Youth empowerment: AI-driven, digitally skilled

This article is authored by Ashwin Yardi, CEO – India, Capgemini and Giorgia Varisco, Chief of YuWaah, Youth Development and Partnerships, UNICEF India.

At 365 million, India has the world’s largest youth population. The youth of today must be equipped with the skills needed to lead in an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven world. With near-universal 4G coverage and high internet penetration among youth aged 15-24—82.1% in rural areas and 91.8% in urban areas—the critical question is whether they have the skills, tools, and opportunities to turn digital access and connectivity into meaningful outcomes.

AI (Representational image)(Unsplash)

AI and digital literacy empower today’s youth with essential capabilities—they can equip youth with the skills to innovate, adapt, and thrive in the rapidly evolving world of work while opening pathways to entrepreneurship, problem-solving, and new forms of economic participation.

This is where partnerships matter—across governments, industry, academia, development agencies, and grassroots organisations. Such collaborations are instrumental in bridging the gap between digital access and digital empowerment. They are key to raising awareness about the role of technology in shaping youth livelihoods, building inclusive platforms for digital skill development, and investing in scalable, future-ready skilling ecosystems.

AI drives innovation across industries and builds new avenues for growth and productivity. The youth must be made aware that AI augments human capabilities and creates space for more meaningful, high-value work. The World Economic Forum’s The Future of Jobs Report 2025 shows that both machines and humans might be significantly more productive in 2030, delivering higher-value outcomes in the same or less time.

Stakeholders must combine efforts to bridge the digital skills gap across urban-rural populations, minority groups, and age cohorts. Inclusive AI skilling is particularly vital for marginalised communities, ensuring that technology becomes a tool for equity. At the same time, it is imperative to acknowledge potential risks so that no one—rural youth, marginalised groups, or young women—is left behind. Such targeted skilling programs reduce inequalities and ensure equitable access to opportunities.

India must accelerate demand-based skills training to enhance youth employability and fuel youth-led innovation. That said, skilling initiatives thrive in a supportive ecosystem where robust partnerships help youth build their career pathways.

Digital literacy is now a prerequisite for all professionals, who must navigate virtual platforms and critically assess the quality and credibility of the information they encounter. The ability to identify useful resources from a sea of irrelevant, biased, or even false information is a core competency in a hyperconnected digital landscape.

For India’s youth, digital literacy must be rooted in real-world applications. One such initiative is YUVAi, launched by the Indian government under its broader vision of ‘AI for All’. The program provides students from classes 8 to 12 with foundational AI knowledge and skills, enabling them to understand and responsibly apply AI concepts.

Responsible AI adoption can be ensured only when ethics and guardrails are embedded into AI training. This includes understanding data privacy, algorithmic fairness, sustainable practices, and the indispensable role of human judgment in AI decision-making. Integrating these principles with real-world AI applications makes youth conscientious users of technology.

Start early! As AI education and digital skills ease entry into the workforce, introducing them in secondary school is vital. Early exposure helps learners interact with technology safely and ethically while building key skills for future careers. Weaving AI and digital skills into the curriculum fosters an innovative mindset among youth.

The digital divide is more than access to the internet and devices; it represents a skills gap between youth prepared for industries—from engineering and finance to healthcare and the arts—and those who aren’t. This gap must also be closed in emerging areas like green skills that impact sustainability.

Strong partnerships, teacher training, and youth-centric skilling platforms are imperative to achieve this vision in India: empower young people today so they can shape the nation’s tomorrow.

This article is authored by Ashwin Yardi, CEO – India, Capgemini and Giorgia Varisco, Chief of YuWaah, Youth Development and Partnerships, UNICEF India.