Generation Unlimited Building AI Pathways for Global Youth

Launched by the UN Secretary-General at the 2018 UN General Assembly andanchored in UNICEF, Generation Unlimited impacts global Public–Private–Youth Partnership, bringing together Heads of State, CEOs, UN leaders, civil society champions, and young changemakers to co-create and scale transformative solutions that empower the world’s youth.

Generation Unlimited envisages to equip 1.8 billion youth globally with the skills, networks, and opportunities for thriving in employment, entrepreneurship, and social impact. Recognizing that by 2030 nearly 60% of youth may lack essential skills, Generation Unlimited acts with urgency. Furthermore, it forges strong alliances across governments, businesses, civil society, and youth networks to catalyse systemic change.

In an exclusive conversation with The Interview World, Kevin Frey, CEO of Generation Unlimited, outlines the organization’s transformative approach to empowering youth globally. He deliberates how technology enables more inclusive and effective outreach, helping organizations connect with and uplift last-mile communities worldwide. Frey also sheds light on how Indian youth are embracing generative AI, and details his commitment to ensuring that the initiatives of Generation Unlimited remain inclusive and accessible to the most marginalised youth populations.

Moreover, he emphasizes the importance of bridging the gap between emerging AI technologies and their adoption among India’s youth, particularly within disadvantaged communities. He elaborates on the collaborations he envisions with government, private sector, and corporate partners to advance shared goals, and highlights the emerging job roles likely to gain prominence in India’s near future.

Frey also shares his perspective on whether AI is primarily augmenting or replacing jobs, discusses the findings of the report “Time to Act: Preparing Youth for Work in an AI-Powered World,” and identifies key areas where AI can effectively generate new employment opportunities and drive inclusive growth across India.

Here are the key takeaways from this compelling conversation.

Q: What is Generation Unlimited’s core approach to transforming the world’s youth?

A: Our approach hinges on seamless collaboration. We unite governments, the private sector, civil society, and youth to work collectively toward large-scale, measurable impact. Our focus extends to last-mile communities, although call them first-mile communities, because that’s where programming should begin from.

To reach them effectively, we leverage India’s extensive network of Common Service Centres (CSCs). This system enables us to connect directly with young people in remote and rural areas. Yet, beyond access, what matters most is thoughtful program design. Every initiative we create is built around core metrics that ensure inclusion, where and how we reach young people, their demographic and economic realities, and, critically, gender considerations. These factors guide us to serve those most in need.

We recognize that inclusion often comes at a higher cost. It’s easier and cheaper to achieve big numbers by focusing on more accessible populations. However, true impact demands intentionality. That’s why we design every program to reach the most disadvantaged first, ensuring that our efforts empower those who are too often left behind.

Q: How is technology enabling easier, more effective outreach and inclusion, helping organizations connect with and empower last-mile communities worldwide?

A: I firmly believe technology is one of the greatest enablers of our time. It holds the power to truly democratize opportunity, connecting people to the internet, unlocking access to world-class education, and opening doors to global jobs. With the rise of AI, these possibilities have expanded even further. We can now envision deeply personalized experiences: a dedicated, high-quality tutor for every student, tailored career guidance for every job seeker, and AI-driven support for aspiring entrepreneurs eager to launch their own ventures.

Yet, these remarkable opportunities come with critical conditions. They depend on universal access to technology, a goal we have not yet achieved. Many young people still lack reliable connectivity, and even when they do have access, they often lack the digital fluency, literacy, and confidence to use these tools effectively. As AI evolves at an extraordinary pace, the need for these skills becomes even more urgent.

In short, technology can empower every young person to learn, work, and create, but only if we ensure equitable access and meaningful digital inclusion in this fast-moving AI revolution.

Q: How do you see Indian youth embracing generative AI technology, especially in creating opportunities and solutions for users from disadvantaged and marginalized communities?

A: When we look across the globe, India’s youth stand out for their ambition and drive. Compared to many other countries where we work, young Indians adopt new technologies faster and with greater enthusiasm, a remarkable strength. Yet, the technological landscape is evolving at an extraordinary pace.

Just a short while ago, the world was captivated by generative AI. Everyone wanted to master prompt engineering, believing it to be the essential skill of the future. Today, that conversation has already shifted. The focus has moved toward agentic AI, intelligent systems capable of acting autonomously and performing real work.

The key question now is: can young people design and deploy these AI agents to work for them? Encouragingly, India has firmly established itself at the forefront of this technological frontier. Indian youth are not merely keeping pace; they are helping to shape the future of AI.

However, this progress comes with an important caveat. In many disadvantaged communities, young people still lack the connectivity, skills, and training needed to fully participate in this digital transformation. Moreover, gender divides persist, particularly in rural areas where households often share a single device. Too often, that device passes from father to son, while daughters are left to use it last, if at all.

To unlock the full potential of India’s youth, we must confront these disparities head-on. Only by ensuring equal access, digital literacy, and gender inclusion can we empower every young person to thrive in the age of agentic AI.

Q: How do you plan to ensure that your initiatives are inclusive and accessible to persons with disabilities?

A: AI presents a powerful opportunity, but only if we approach it with deliberate intent. If a program focuses solely on achieving the largest numbers, training the most people or securing the most jobs, it will almost always exclude the most disadvantaged, including young people with disabilities. Reaching them requires purposeful design and clear intent from the start.

Moreover, true inclusion demands investment. Programs that aim to reach last-mile or first-mile youth, and those with diverse abilities, must accept significantly higher costs per learner. That’s the real price of equity, and it’s worth paying.

Q: How do you plan to bridge the gap between emerging generative AI technologies and their adoption by Indian youth, especially among disadvantaged communities?

A: Connectivity isn’t a challenge we address directly. We don’t connect young people ourselves. However, the Indian government has made remarkable progress by establishing CSCs in remote and rural regions. Even if someone doesn’t have internet access or a personal device at home, they can usually reach a nearby centre, sometimes by walking or taking a short bus ride.

I’ve visited several of these centres. Each one typically has a computer with an internet connection, and often, a teacher on-site. This network of centres is an impressive national infrastructure that enables access to training and digital resources.

Yet access alone isn’t enough. We also need to create demand. That means building well-structured programs with strong support systems. Many young people in these areas face real challenges: long travel distances, limited resources, and the difficulty of staying engaged until they earn a certificate.

Now, our focus extends beyond training. Once young people, especially young women, complete their skilling certificates, we work to help them transition into employment. We’re partnering with placement agencies, coaches, and career advisors to ensure they not only gain the right skills and certifications but also secure meaningful jobs that put those skills to use.

Q: What kind of collaborations do you envision with the government, private sector, and corporates to advance your initiatives and shared goals?

A: In the skills and jobs ecosystem, success is impossible sans collaboration between the private sector and the government.

The only sustainable way to tackle youth employment challenges is through strong public–private partnerships. Governments bring scale, the reach of their education, training, and social welfare systems, while the private sector brings opportunity. Businesses understand the evolving demand for skills and hold the jobs that young people aspire to.

To make this work, we must build efficient, dynamic feedback loops between the two. The private sector must clearly signal the skills it needs; the government must quickly adapt curricula and training programs in response. Only then can we produce job-ready youth equipped for real market needs.

This integration must be seamless. However, it’s far from easy. The private sector and government operate at different speeds, follow different incentives, and often speak entirely different languages. Yet, they must find a way to work together. That’s precisely why platforms like YuWaah in India exist to bridge these worlds, align their efforts, and drive meaningful progress for youth.

Q: In the context of India, what are the top three or four emerging job types you foresee gaining prominence in the near future?

A: It’s incredibly hard to predict the emerging jobs at this inflection point. In fact, we had fascinating discussions recently at YuWaah’s event called Youth Central, with CEOs from leading companies in India and around the world, and the consensus was clear: forecasting what jobs will exist in five or ten years is virtually impossible.

Just five years ago, the safest advice for a young person was simple: learn to code. Coding looked like the gateway to endless opportunity. Yet today, with AI performing much of the entry-level coding work, that advice no longer holds. We then turned to other professions. What about law? But AI now handles much of the legal research once done by junior lawyers. What about accounting? Again, AI is already automating a large share of entry-level accounting tasks.

That led us to consider sectors where human presence remains indispensable. The care economy emerged as a strong contender. Nursing and caregiving roles may expand as populations age, particularly in countries like India. Teaching is another area. While some argue AI could transform learning entirely, many believe teachers are irreplaceable for children’s development.

Then there are skilled trades such as plumbing, electrical work, and other hands-on professions. These roles demand physical expertise that’s not easily automated, making them potentially resilient in an AI-driven future.

So, while I can’t predict which jobs will dominate the next decade, I can say this: we are witnessing a revolution, especially in entry-level white-collar work. The traditional career paths that university graduates once relied on are being rapidly redefined.

One version of the future sees AI as a powerful augmenter, enhancing human capability without massive job loss. The other, more unsettling version, envisions widespread displacement, forcing people to seek new roles in sectors like care, education, and the skilled trades. Which future prevails will depend on how we prepare today for that inevitable transformation.

Q: With AI transforming the workforce, how do you view the current scenario, is AI primarily augmenting jobs or increasingly replacing them?

A: Divergent perspectives on this issue remain rational. What makes it especially fascinating, and something I’m fortunate to witness in my work, is the range of views among global business leaders.

Some executives, whose names I’ll keep confidential, argue that the only visible outcome so far is incremental productivity improvement. They believe the impact of AI has been dramatically overstated. Yet, even these sceptics often conclude that while the short-term effects of AI are overestimated, its medium- to long-term potential is almost certainly underestimated.

In contrast, a growing number of leaders see AI displacing certain roles, particularly in fields like software development. Many major tech companies, for instance, have sharply reduced their hiring. All of this points to one reality: the situation remains deeply uncertain. Even those who regularly advise corporate clients worldwide hold vastly different opinions. Adding to the ambiguity, an MIT study published a few months ago found that 95% of corporate AI initiatives have failed so far.

The question, then, is whether these failures simply reflect the growing pains of early adoption. Are we underestimating the near-term challenges, or misunderstanding the pace of change? The truth is, no one can yet provide a definitive answer.

What we do know, however, is that AI represents a transformation on the scale of the Industrial Revolution, the Internet, or even electricity itself. The real uncertainty lies in timing: how long this revolution will take to unfold, and which jobs, precisely, will be replaced or redefined along the way.

Q: Your 2024 report ‘Time to Act: Preparing Youth for Work in an AI-Powered World’ examines GenAI’s threats and opportunities. Could you elaborate on its key findings and their implications for youth in India?

A: In many ways, that report is already outdated. The AI landscape is evolving at an extraordinary pace.

Fortunately, the recommendations we made remain highly relevant. In the early days, as you may recall, fear dominated the conversation around AI. Many insisted that students should be shielded from it.

Today, however, the world is beginning to recognize a new reality: AI is not a threat to block but a tool to embrace. It is a superpower for those who know how to use it. Young people entering the workforce without AI proficiency will face a profound disadvantage.

That is why we are urging governments to implement AI skilling programs at scale, programs that emphasize not only technical competence but also responsible use. Learners must understand both AI’s immense potential and its ethical challenges.

We are also calling on the private sector to step up. Companies should provide world-class AI training free of charge, ensuring that the benefits of this technology reach as many young people as possible, every connected learner, in every corner of the world.

Q: Have you identified key areas where AI can be effectively applied to create new job opportunities and boost employment in India?

A: In India, the picture is not yet entirely clear. From a global perspective, across the 57 countries where we operated last year, the patterns are still emerging. Yet what we’re already seeing here is fascinating.

Several major employers in India shared an important insight this morning. In the past, onboarding a new employee took around three months, followed by another nine months of deep, specialized training. Now, with the support of AI, they can achieve the same level of proficiency in just three months.

Across industries, AI is dramatically accelerating employee readiness. It’s enabling companies to “supercharge” their workforce far faster than ever before.

The pressing question, however, is what this means for overall employment. Will faster training and higher productivity create net job gains, or reduce the number of roles needed? At this stage, no one can say for certain. Even senior private-sector leaders closest to the data remain unsure. There are, quite frankly, more questions than answers.

Perhaps in 18 to 24 months, the picture will be clearer. For now, though, we’re navigating uncharted territory, and waiting to see how the balance between efficiency and employment ultimately unfolds.