At S&P Global’s AI in the Markets event, I had the privilege of joining Sudeep Kesh, Chief Innovation Officer at S&P Global Ratings, for a fireside chat titled AI for Humanity: Transforming Global Labor Markets and Workforce Development. In a room filled with executives, technologists, and changemakers, we explored how artificial intelligence can reshape—not replace—human potential.

We began with a grounding exercise to bring presence into the space, followed by Sudeep’s powerful thought experiment: imagine asking a kindergarten class who can draw or sing. All the hands go up. But ask the same question in a corporate boardroom, and fewer hands raise. What happened to that innate creativity?

This moment set the tone for our conversation: the future of work isn’t just about technology—it’s about reactivating imagination, curiosity, and courage at every level of the workforce.

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Our discussion centered on how leaders can align AI with purpose, especially across rapidly evolving labor markets. AI is often framed through a lens of efficiency and automation, but I believe its most transformative power lies in amplification—of skills, of insight, and of equity.

That’s why I introduced my 1+1+AI=10™ methodology, which has been guiding my work globally. It integrates:

When these three come together, we move from incremental improvement to exponential impact.

This isn’t theoretical. I’ve seen it in action across six continents. In Rwanda, I worked with students at the African Leadership University who used GenAI to pitch social impact solutions, including a language-accessibility tool inspired by one student’s tragic personal experience. In Japan and Taiwan, I supported youth training to become sommeliers using live AI translation tools that enabled them to pass exams and dramatically boost their earning potential.

These examples reveal a core truth: emerging markets—often constrained by infrastructure but rich in ingenuity—are producing some of the boldest AI innovations. Why? Because necessity breeds creativity, and these innovators aren’t encumbered by legacy systems.

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Sudeep and I also addressed how AI and workforce development are tightly intertwined. As AI transforms tasks, roles, and industries, organizations must prioritize reskilling and capability-building over replacement. It’s not enough to measure ROI—we must invest in what he called “capability generation,” the kind that turns talent into long-term value.

This shift also requires a reinvention of education. I often ask: Are we preparing students for a world that may not exist by the time they graduate? With AI, we have the tools to personalize learning, gamify complex concepts, and co-create new curricula rooted in real-world skills. But we need a mindset reset—one that brings educators, employers, students, and technologists into the same conversation.

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One of the biggest risks in the AI era isn’t the technology itself—it’s disconnection. Between strategy and people. Between innovation and inclusion. Between what’s possible and what we’re willing to imagine.

That’s why I invite leaders everywhere to ask:

The future of work is not something we inherit—it’s something we design. Let’s design it together, intentionally, imaginatively, and ethically.