For students and employers, understanding the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on education and careers is crucial for embracing change and keeping up with new trends. In Industry 4.0, artificial intelligence emerged as a driving force behind technological transformation, and in Industry 5.0, it has nearly eliminated jobs in some sectors through automation. According to the World Economic Forum’s report on the future of jobs for 2025, as many as 40 percent of employers anticipate a reduction in the workforce in areas where artificial intelligence automates tasks. Nevertheless, the answer to the question of whether artificial intelligence is a threat or an opportunity would be – an opportunity.
Namely, although, according to the aforementioned report, artificial intelligence is expected to eliminate 85 million jobs globally by 2025, it is also expected to create 97 million new ones. This shows that while it automates repetitive tasks such as data entry, basic accounting processes, or customer support, it also creates new jobs. Furthermore, the revenue growth per employee in sectors that utilize artificial intelligence more extensively is three times greater than in those that do so limitedly.
Redefining Teaching
Artificial intelligence, for example, drives demand in data science, digital marketing, software development, and ethical governance, which requires advanced technical skills such as artificial intelligence engineering, data science, and machine learning, as well as new jobs like AI trainers and algorithm auditors… Therefore, many jobs that existed a decade ago have either evolved or become obsolete. New, previously unimaginable roles are emerging, such as prompt engineers (questioning specialists), who are currently in high demand in the labor market, as well as AI ethicists. Artificial intelligence is even conquering human resources departments, and marketing professionals are learning how to apply AI tools for content creation, user screening, and automated campaign management.
In addition to the impact of artificial intelligence on careers, it also affects education as learning platforms and personalized curricula redefine teaching and instructional methods, and due to the rise of new technology, lifelong learning is no longer an option but a necessity. For instance, in the United Kingdom, the Ministry of Education has launched free training camps for technological and digital skills designed to meet the demand for talent in artificial intelligence, while Amazon and Google are investing billions of dollars in training employees in technological skills to discover potential AI talents among them.
Different Institutions for Adult Education
According to the World Economic Forum, the fastest-growing skills include AI-based data analysis, networking, and cybersecurity, as well as technological skills. This has also been recognized by the Croatian IT company Span, which operates in the international market and has had its shares listed on the Zagreb Stock Exchange since 2021, and whose Cybersecurity Center is beginning to operate as an adult education institution. While artificial intelligence significantly impacts the educational system, especially at the university level, and offers new opportunities, it also has drawbacks. Its application in education is inevitable, but it can be misused, and some studies show that its use negatively affects intellectual abilities. For example, an internal study conducted at the private university RIT Croatia showed that students who rely more on it feel ‘mentally lazy’.
– Generative artificial intelligence (GAI) is certainly a threat if fundamental changes do not occur as required. However, precisely because it demands tectonic shifts in education and work, it is an exceptional driving force that compels us to rethink some things we have been doing by inertia for decades, if not centuries. GAI should step in instead of people for tedious, repetitive tasks, freeing our time for higher-order thinking and creativity; of course, in jobs that allow for that – says Dr. Jakob Patekar, Vice Dean of RIT Croatia, adding that generative artificial intelligence cannot be ignored since both students and teachers use its tools, and employers expect graduates to know how to work with them. According to him, banning its tools or pretending they do not exist would be unfair and irresponsible towards students and teachers.
– The impact of GAI on our institution is significant, but it does not change our direction and determination to develop professionals who critically examine the world around them and find creative solutions to contemporary problems – emphasizes Patekar.
He further adds that, in addition to shaping tasks to develop students’ awareness of ethical, responsible, and effective use of various GAI tools, teachers at RIT Croatia have introduced courses such as Generative AI in Organizations and Data Analytics, Literacy, and Decision Making, which will contribute to graduates being ready for future jobs.
Old/New Academic Dishonesty
However, as in other sectors, artificial intelligence is also misused in education.
– Academic dishonesty is not new, and many countries around the world are struggling with this problem, and GAI has brought new challenges for academic integrity. There is no tool that can 100 percent detect that something was created using this type of intelligence, so we need to turn the narrative and revise tasks in two ways. First, that the use of GAI is mandatory, but in an ethical and responsible manner, and second, that some tasks are designed to be entirely resistant to it, i.e., that they can only be solved by human abilities. The latter is a tectonic change that I look forward to and hope will force us to change some deeply rooted practices in assessment that should have been left in the past long ago – says Patekar.
He also agrees with the increasingly loud and numerous warnings that artificial intelligence will negatively impact intellectual abilities. Research on this topic was conducted by RIT Croatia among students.
– Initial studies already show that excessive reliance on GAI can diminish our cognitive abilities and negatively affect mental health. Our institution’s research has shown that students are aware that they are becoming mentally lazy as they rely more on GAI tools. The conclusion of the existing research on this topic is that GAI should not be used to replace our mental processes but to complement them, and finding the golden mean is never easy – emphasizes Patekar.
Personalization of Learning
At the Faculty of Economics at the University of Zagreb, artificial intelligence is not viewed solely as a threat but primarily as a driving force for improving education and the professional development of students.
– AI enables personalized forms of learning, rapid processing and interpretation of data, new research methods, and innovative approaches to teaching. This opens up opportunities for the individualized progress of each student while ensuring the development of generic and professional competencies needed in the modern economy. However, we are also aware of the potential risks associated with ethics, privacy, and the misuse of technology. Therefore, our strategy is focused on the responsible and purposeful use of artificial intelligence, emphasizing the importance of critical thinking and human responsibility. We believe that if used thoughtfully, artificial intelligence can significantly enhance the quality of the educational process and increase the competitiveness of our graduates in the labor market – says Ljubica Milanović Glavan, Vice Dean for Study Programs at the Faculty of Economics in Zagreb.
According to her, generative artificial intelligence is already being used in certain aspects of the teaching and research process, but its impact is currently moderate and gradually developing. The faculty actively monitors trends and considers ways for its responsible and balanced application in education, always keeping in mind the quality of teaching and academic integrity. Adapting the educational programs of the Faculty of Economics in Zagreb to Industry 5.0, automation, and new AI tools is one of the strategic priorities.
– We systematically introduce new courses and modules that cover topics such as artificial intelligence in business, business analytics, digital transformation, and technology ethics. We particularly nurture an interdisciplinary approach and collaboration with the business sector to enable students to acquire competencies that are directly applicable in the labor market. Industry 5.0 emphasizes collaboration between humans and technology, which requires the development of not only technical but also cognitive and social skills. Our curriculum therefore combines the acquisition of digital and analytical knowledge with fostering creative and critical thinking, innovation, and ethical responsibility. This ensures that our students and current employees are prepared for a future marked by automation, artificial intelligence, and new forms of work – says Milanović Glavan.
Opportunities for Education
When it comes to the misuse of artificial intelligence, Milanović Glavan claims that there are possible situations where students do not use artificial intelligence in accordance with academic standards. However, at the Faculty, such occurrences are seen as an opportunity for education.
– We guide students towards responsible and purposeful application of artificial intelligence tools and emphasize the importance of academic integrity. In this way, we believe that AI can become a valuable ally in education – says Milanović Glavan.
In her opinion, artificial intelligence will not necessarily negatively impact intellectual abilities but can further develop them, provided it is used correctly. AI can take over routine and repetitive tasks, freeing human potential for creativity, innovation, and analytical thinking.
– As an educational institution, we emphasize the importance of developing a critical relationship with technology: students learn how to use artificial intelligence to support their learning, research, and business practice, not as a substitute for their own knowledge and experience. In this way, we ensure that intellectual abilities are not diminished but rather strengthened through collaboration between humans and technology – says Milanović Glavan.
