Youth Employment in the Age of AI: Building an Inclusive and Future-Ready Ecosystem

As Artificial Intelligence reshapes labor markets, young people from historically marginalized backgrounds face the greatest risk of exclusion, with entry-level roles in administration, retail and basic tech support disrupted just as unequal access to education, digital infrastructure and professional networks limits who can pursue emerging opportunities. Yet AI also holds promise as a tool for inclusion, lowering barriers to learning, self-employment and participation in the digital economy.

In July 2025, Save the Children’s Skills to Succeed program convened Leaders of Change: Youth Employment in the Age of Human-Machine Collaboration, bringing together 100 leaders from 57 organizations across the private sector, non-profits, academia and government to work alongside youth and develop a Collaborative Action Framework for Youth Employment that maps challenges, actions and stakeholder roles for an AI-shaped workforce.