Who Will Build the Next Billion Jobs as Money Flows to AI?

Tools Won’t Create Jobs

New technologies are often hailed as automatic solutions for employment, but history shows that tools alone do not generate livelihoods; people must apply them within evolving institutions, infrastructure, and business models.

AI can lower startup costs, yet it cannot replace local market understanding, trust‑building, team formation, or the identification of real problems.

Entrepreneurs Are the Answer

World Bank data indicate that small‑and‑medium enterprises (SMEs) constitute 90% of global firms and provide about 70% of jobs, especially in emerging markets.

SMEs adapt technology to local contexts, creating services that employ people excluded from formal labor markets, particularly in healthcare, logistics, education, agriculture, and the digital economy.

Vijay Eswaran, Executive Chairman of QI Group, observes that in capital‑scarce regions with uneven infrastructure, the adaptability of local entrepreneurs is crucial.

These entrepreneurs use digital tools to bridge gaps in logistics, education, and inclusive finance, turning business opportunities into community lifelines.

Three Gateways to Inclusive Growth

Skills : Traditional education prepares for stable, hierarchical roles that are being redefined or eliminated. The focus should shift to adaptability—digital literacy, financial basics, problem‑solving, communication, and the ability to pose better questions in the AI era.

According to the World Economic Forum’s 2025 Future of Jobs report, 63% of employers view skill gaps as the top barrier to business transformation, even before the current AI adoption surge.

Access : Entrepreneurs need reliable networks, affordable tools, digital payments, usable logistics, and fair financing—hard infrastructure rather than soft conditions.

McKinsey Global Institute data show that since 2022, three‑quarters of cross‑border FDI has flowed into advanced manufacturing, AI infrastructure, and energy—capital‑intensive sectors that do not necessarily generate large numbers of jobs.

The global financing gap for SMEs is estimated at $5.7 trillion, raising the question of whether capital is reaching the right places.

Governance : Clear rules, functional institutions, and perceived fairness enable new projects to thrive. Out‑dated, fragmented, or opaque regulation slows innovation, raises trial‑and‑error costs, and pushes firms into the informal economy.

Large corporations remain important for investment, supply chains, training, and collaborative innovation, but they cannot solve the employment challenge alone; automation is increasing efficiency while cutting traditional entry‑level jobs.

The upcoming Dalian Summer Davos Forum (June 23‑25) will discuss creating the next billion jobs, aligning capital with employment, and addressing the “entry‑cliff” faced by this generation.

Ultimately, growth should be measured not only by faster systems or higher output, but by whether it expands dignity, participation, and opportunity in the AI era.