Globally, businesses and governments are now battling issues of policy, ethics, and system design as AI is increasingly incorporated into workforce development and education. In this second installment of AIT’s investigation into AI in EdTech and people management, we look at how this change is being handled in a variety of settings, including platform backends, policy boardrooms, and marketplaces ranging from Lagos to London.
One of the key voices in the EdTech space, Ayodele Fajinmi, continues to advocate for AI systems that not only optimise talent acquisition and management but also empower individual career agency.
“When we design systems that put data, insight, and choice into the hands of the user,whether learner or employee-centred, we create a more transparent and inclusive labour market,” he notes.
Across Europe, the U.S., and parts of Asia and Africa, employers are beginning to prioritise skills over job titles. The World Economic Forum has projected that over 1 billion people will need reskilling by 2030, and AI will be a central enabler of that transition.
Companies such as IBM, Unilever, and Deloitte are already piloting skills-based internal mobility platforms that use machine learning to suggest lateral or vertical moves, development paths, or projects aligned to an employee’s demonstrated competencies.
Ayodele’s recent work in developing EdTech platforms powered by generative AI aligns strongly with the growing demand for personalised learning and workforce readiness. His key innovations include an onboarding/induction module that delivers culture-fit learning content to new hires for smoother integration, and a job support platform that serves thousands of job seekers by using algorithms to tailor application tools, create individual development plans, and match skills to organisational talent needs.
According to a 2024 Gartner report, over 40% of large employers are adopting some form of AI-based people analytics — a number expected to double by 2027.
Fajimi hinted that “a quiet revolution is taking place.” In addition to improving people’s experiences, HR is evolving into a source of predictive insight. The ethical, transparent, and equitable use of that power is crucial because it will determine whether AI promotes inclusion or exclusion. Since the convergence of AI, EdTech, and HRTech is not an idea for the future but rather an emerging reality, it is important to remember that the future of work is being formed today.
The critical need for technologies that support agentic learning and enable businesses to cultivate talent while granting individuals autonomy over their own growth is still present.
In a world where AI can create your learning path, write your resume, and forecast your next promotion, Fajimi states that the question is not just what the technology can accomplish. Who determines how it is used?
