AI Impact on Employment
Following Vitae’s Senegal Roundtable, Momo Bertrand, Education Specialist at the World Bank, shares insights on AI’s impact on education.
The Changing Job Market
It has become cliché to say that education needs to change, to better align with the needs of enterprise and society. However, the “Age of AI” adds credence and urgency to the need for profound education reform.
In early February 2025, I joined a team of World Bank and IFC colleagues in an employability roundtable in Dakar, Senegal. The event was designed to highlight the role of digitalization in strengthening employability in Senegalese higher education institutions.
Job Market Unpredictability
My presentation focused on the burning subject of the hour — Artificial Intelligence. Until recently, one could guess — with a high degree of certainty — how the job market would look in two or three years. Today, with the mainstreaming of generative AI across industries backed by billion-dollar investments, the very foundation of what we consider work is changing.
In this light, my presentation highlighted AI’s contribution to employability through five use cases throughout the educational lifecycle.
A Solid Foundation for First-Year Students
For first-year students, personalized and adaptive AI chatbots can complement the work of career advisors. These provide tailored, timely, and relevant advice on: choosing a minor, preparing for internship applications, or taking courses online to supplement one’s formal education. Together, this can give students a strong foundation on which to build.
Additionally, AI systems can support senior students’ job search. If you Google (or ask ChatGPT) “AI interview and resume apps,” dozens of relevant resources will appear. For example, during the Senegal event I demonstrated a simple interview prep solution. The tool leverages text-to-speech and natural language processing to provide actionable feedback to students. These solutions will only become cheaper and more powerful in the future.
AI Enhancements for Teaching & Learning
Teachers and staff stand to benefit too. For teachers, AI can help develop highly engaging course materials that are relevant to the job market. AI does not replace the crucial role that teachers play as mentors, subject matter experts, guides, and coaches. Career counselors and employability staff can leverage Gen AI to process large amounts of labor market data and tailor employability strategies accordingly.
While AI opportunities abound, institutions need to ensure that the technology is used safely, inclusively, and sustainably. There is a growing fear that overdependence on AI will erode human agency and dampen the critical thinking of both teachers and students. As one participant put it, “If AI is writing all the cover letters and CVs, how will students learn how to package and sell their skills?”
The truth is that AI—with humans and safety at its core—represents a unique opportunity, especially for low- or middle-income countries (LMICs), to leapfrog across the gap from education to the job market. However, we must approach this technology with caution, carefully weighing benefits against risks and ensuring that appropriate safeguards, guardrails, and policies to ensure equitable impact.
EXAMPLES:
- Northwestern, Using Generative AI
- Deloitte, The Generative AI Dossier
- HUD, University develops unique career learning tool to boost students’ employability
- Stanford, Using AI to Train Peer Counselors
- ResumeMaker.Online, AI Job Interview Practice (Free Tool)
- IFC Vitae, Institutional Employability Benchmarking (Free Tool)
Momo Betrand is an Education Specialist at the World Bank, where he focuses on education projects in West Africa and EdTech initiatives. He joined the World Bank Group through the Young Professionals Program (YPP) in 2022, spending a year with the International Finance Corporation’s Global Education and Health team. Before this, he served as a Training and Communications Specialist with the United Nations (ITCILO) in Italy.
Before working in international development, Momo co-founded non-profits and startups focused on technology, digital skills, and communications; he has also consulted for organizations in California and Cameroon. His work has been featured on BBC, Al Jazeera, The Times of San Diego, and la Repubblica. He speaks French, English, Pidgin, and some Portuguese and Italian. Momo is also an award-winning poet whose work explores the themes of development, love, and peace.
A Cameroonian national, Momo holds an MA in Social Innovation from the University of San Diego, a Quantic MBA, and a BSc in Management (with honors) from the Catholic University Institute of Buea.
