Skills of the Future

Recorded live at the 2026 ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego, this session featured Cathy Cheung, Software Engineer at Google; Shashank Agarwal, Software Engineer at Google Research; and Yoav Bergner, Associate Professor of Learning Sciences/Educational Technology at NYU.The speakers discussed how skill development is increasingly viewed as the next frontier of education, particularly as the gap widens between the skills employers seek and those the workforce currently possesses. They explored which durable 21st-century skills—such as critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and AI literacy—are most essential for future readiness.The session highlighted Google Research’s work in AI-powered assessment and development of these skills, examining how AI can help bridge this gap rather than exacerbate it. The speakers also considered how education can evolve from a focus solely on knowledge acquisition to one that includes scalable approaches to skill assessment, practice, and development.