New Program Trains Young People for AI-Driven Jobs

As artificial intelligence (AI)—computer systems that can learn and make decisions—becomes more common in almost every industry, companies and schools are racing to find and train people who can work with this technology.

Geely, a Chinese car manufacturer, and Xinwei, a technology investment company, have just launched a new program called Cross-Era Leap. It's designed to spot young talent early and prepare them for jobs in an AI-powered world. The first group of students to join the program are being called "AI natives"—people who've grown up surrounded by AI technology, unlike older generations.

Why does this matter? Right now, there's a huge shortage of skilled workers who understand how to build, manage, and improve AI systems. Companies can't find enough people for these jobs, and the gap is growing. By starting education programs like this one, Geely and Xinwei hope to create a pipeline of workers ready for the jobs that will exist in the next five to ten years.

The program combines classroom learning with real-world experience at partner companies. Students aren't just learning theory—they're getting hands-on training that employers actually need. This could become a model for how other industries prepare their workforce for the AI era.