Preparing youth for AI-disrupted job market

The Express Tribune published an opinion column arguing that artificial intelligence is reshaping the entry-level tasks that once gave young Pakistanis their first professional experience. According to the writer, routine tasks such as writing reports, basic drafting and answering customer questions can now be done with AI assistance. The risk, the column says, is a change in the shape of the workforce rather than the outright elimination of every profession.

The column argues the issue is especially pressing for Pakistan, which produces many graduates while its economy struggles to create high-quality jobs. Families paying for private universities face higher stakes, and emigration and remote work are no longer reliable escape routes because graduates now compete with AI-equipped professionals worldwide. The government launched the country's first National Youth Employment Policy on August 12, and its measures include a women's quota of 35% and a yearly 10% allocation for young startups.

The writer argues that adding AI courses to existing programmes is not enough, and that universities should involve employers in curriculum design. Internships should offer real workplace experience, portfolios should show what graduates can do, and assessments should test reasoning and judgement because prohibiting AI use would not address the issue. Communication, teamwork and continuous learning are described as increasingly valuable skills in an AI-driven economy.