Why AI Skills Matter: How AGL Helps Students and Professionals Thrive in an AI-Driven World

Welcome to Athena Global Learning (AGL): We’re Glad You’re Here!

AI is rapidly advancing, and the ways we study, work and live are evolving. Athena Global Learning (AGL) is here to support you through this transformation. Our mission is to help learners, educators, and organizations thrive by combining human connection, global perspectives, and ethical technology. We support growth, increase access, and prepare people to succeed in a rapidly changing world.

Schedule your appointment today to explore tailored learning solutions for your needs. AGL is committed to providing comprehensive support and guidance throughout your educational journey.

Businesses expect AI to reshape their organizations. In a survey of more than 1,000 global employers, representing over 14 million workers, the World Economic Forum found that 86% believe AI and information-processing technologies will transform their businesses by 2030 (World Economic Forum, 2025). Microsoft and LinkedIn’s 2024 Work Trend Index Annual Report found that 66% of leaders would not hire individuals without AI skills, and 71% would prefer a less-experienced worker with AI skills over a more experienced candidate who lacks them. To stay competitive across industries, the ability to use AI is becoming essential.

Despite widespread AI usage among students, many do not feel prepared. The Digital Education Council (2024) surveyed 3,839 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral students globally. Of those surveyed, 86% reported using AI regularly, yet only one in two said they felt AI-ready. Moreover, the survey found that approximately 80% of students believed their university’s AI integration was falling short of expectations. In a Cengage Group (2024a) survey, while 73% of employers reported using generative AI in their workplaces, 55% of recent graduates, more than half, felt their study programs did not prepare them to use it effectively. New employees who enter the workforce with AI skills may quickly become assets, while those without such training must learn to adapt in order to remain competitive. In Microsoft’s 2025 Work Trend Index, leaders identified AI-specific upskilling for the existing workforce as their highest priority for the next 12–18 months (Microsoft, 2025).

While businesses and higher education institutions continue to determine how to navigate AI adoption, students and individuals are moving forward on their own. Copyleaks (2025) reported that 90% of approximately 1,100 U.S. students in two-year colleges, four-year universities, and graduate programs who were surveyed had used AI academically. Ellucian (2024) found in their 2nd Annual AI in Higher Education Survey that 84% of the 445 higher education administrators surveyed had used AI for work, personal tasks, or both. Faculty use of AI nearly doubled in one year, rising from 24% in 2023 to 45% in 2024 (Cengage Group, 2024b). K–12 systems are evolving as well: ISTE launched GenerationAI (International Society for Technology in Education, n.d.), Beijing is making AI a compulsory subject starting in elementary school (Ming, 2025), and in Michigan, Michigan Virtual’s AI Lab is supporting school districts as they implement AI into classrooms (Michigan Virtual, n.d.). Today’s young learners will be the first generation to grow up in a world where AI has always existed.

At AGL, we understand that rapid change can feel overwhelming. You don’t have to navigate it alone. Whether you’re a student, parent, job seeker, business owner, manager, team member, educator, or school leader, AGL offers learning solutions designed to help you grow with confidence in an AI-driven world. Our services include K–12 tutoring and family support, personalized academic coaching, Business English and professional communication training, leadership and workplace skill development, and practical guidance for integrating AI ethically and effectively into learning and work. We help students build strong academic foundations, support parents in understanding and navigating their child’s learning needs, empower professionals to communicate and work more efficiently, and assist educators and teams in adapting to new technologies.

Through personalized coaching, professional development, and ethical AI-enhanced learning solutions, AGL helps people strengthen their skills, achieve their goals, and connect globally.

Ready to take the next step? Schedule an appointment today, and let AGL craft a learning pathway designed just for you. We’re here to provide guidance and support every step of the way.

Dr. Athena Stanley, B.A., M.A.E., Ph.D.
Founder, CEO, & Learning Experience Designer

Athena Global Learning

Cengage Group. (2024a, July). 2024 graduate employability report: Preparing students for the GenAI-driven workplace. https://cengage.widen.net/s/bmjxxjx9mm/cg-2024-employability-survey-report

Cengage Group. (2024b, November 4). At the trailhead: The state and future of AI in higher education. https://blog.cengage.com/at-the-trailhead-the-state-and-future-of-ai-in-higher-education/

Copyleaks. (2025). 2025 AI in education trends report. https://www.copyleaks.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/2025-AI-in-Education-Trends-Report_1.pdf

Digital Education Council. (2024). Digital Education Council global AI student survey 2024: AI or not AI: What students want. https://www.digitaleducationcouncil.com/post/digital-education-council-global-ai-student-survey-2024

Ellucian. (2024). 2024 AI in higher education: Understanding the present and shaping the future. https://www.ellucian.com/resources/industry-reports/ai-industry-report-2024

International Society for Technology in Education. (n.d.). GenerationAI: Educators reimagining learning for a connected world. https://www.iste.org/generationai

Michigan Virtual. (n.d.). AI Lab. https://michiganvirtual.org/ai/

Microsoft. (2025, April 23). 2025 work trend index annual report: The year the frontier firm is born. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/work-trend-index/2025-the-year-the-frontier-firm-is-born

Microsoft & LinkedIn. (2024, May 8). 2024 work trend index annual report: AI at work is here. Now comes the hard part. https://assets-c4akfrf5b4d3f4b7.z01.azurefd.net/assets/2024/05/2024_Work_Trend_Index_Annual_Report_6_7_24_666b2e2fafceb.pdf

Ming, L. C. (2025, March 10). China's capital city is making AI education mandatory, even for elementary schoolers. Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/china-beijing-ai-education-mandatory-classrooms-elementary-schoolers-2025-3

World Economic Forum. (2025). Future of jobs report 2025: Insight report January 2025. https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Future_of_Jobs_Report_2025.pdf