Invest in skills, not just AI, says Prof Henrik von Scheel

Bangladesh must invest in people, practical skills and emerging technologies rather than blindly chasing expensive AI solutions, said Prof Henrik von Scheel who is widely recognised as the originator of the '4th Industrial Revolution' and a defining voice in the global digital agenda.

He said Bangladesh can strengthen its global competitiveness by embracing collaboration, adopting common AI standards and preserving its strong culture of social responsibility.

"Bangladesh is better prepared for the artificial intelligence (AI) era than many people believe, but the country must invest in people and practical skills," the founder and president of the Institute of Strategic Intelligence told UNB in an interview. 

Prof Henrik said the country's strong sense of community distinguishes it from many developed societies.

"If Bangladesh can preserve that spirit while investing in knowledge, innovation and people, its future is extremely promising," he said. "Nobody should go to bed hungry, and everyone should have the opportunity to build skills. That is the foundation of a stronger Bangladesh."

Prof Henrik said Bangladeshi businesses should avoid treating AI knowledge as a competitive secret and instead share best practices, particularly in robotic process optimisation, to accelerate innovation across industries.

"Bangladesh should develop standards on AI and robotic process optimisation," he said. "If businesses share what they learn instead of keeping it secret, the whole country becomes more competitive." 

Prof Henrik also said Bangladesh's greatest strength lies in its people, describing them as resilient, optimistic and community-oriented despite facing economic and climate-related challenges.

"The optimism comes from the people," he said. "They are positive, they smile and they believe in the future even though life is not easy."

Recalling his first evening in Dhaka, Prof Henrik said a motorcycle ride through the city gave him a glimpse of the warmth and generosity of ordinary Bangladeshis.

He said the country's strong family values and community spirit set it apart, adding that Bangladesh should adopt a simple national principle: "Nobody goes to bed hungry."

"People help each other here," he said. "That hope and compassion are Bangladesh's greatest strengths and give me confidence about the country's future." 

During a visit to Dhaka last week, Prof Henrik attended a roundtable discussion titled "AI Futures for Bangladesh: Challenges and Prospects," hosted by the EELAIA Foundation, conducted a two-day AI masterclass for business leaders, and held discussions with policymakers. The futurist said Bangladesh possesses the talent and industrial capability to embrace AI without sacrificing jobs, provided it adopts a people-centred strategy.

"I came here expecting to teach AI, but I left impressed," he said. "Bangladesh is not behind in AI. The skills are here. People understand industry, they learn quickly and they are ready to implement AI."

The masterclass brought together executives from Bangladesh's leading textile manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, banks, steel producers and food-processing industries.

According to him, many participants initially believed AI simply meant using consumer tools such as ChatGPT and other generative AI platforms.

Over the two-day programme, however, they developed a broader understanding of AI applications in business operations, industrial automation and government services.

"They realised AI is much more than chatbots," Prof Henrik said. "By the end of the programme, most participants had designed roadmaps for moving from manual operations to automation, from automation to digitalisation and ultimately to intelligent organisations."

Willingness to learn

He praised Bangladeshi companies for their willingness to learn and said executives quickly grasped concepts such as robotic process optimisation, AI-driven workflows and automation without depending entirely on costly foreign software.

"The exciting part was that they understood they don't always need expensive international solutions," Prof Henrik said. "Many AI tools can be developed internally, reducing costs while improving productivity and services."

Despite the enthusiasm surrounding AI, the futurist urged governments and businesses to move beyond what he described as the "hype" surrounding the technology.

"AI is not intelligence," he said. "It predicts patterns based on data. It doesn't truly understand what it produces, and that means human judgment remains essential."

He also warned that excessive dependence on generative AI could weaken human creativity and critical thinking, particularly among young people.

"We learn by making mistakes," Prof Henrik said. "If students receive answers without understanding how they are reached, they lose the opportunity to develop real skills."

Drawing an analogy with GPS navigation, Prof Henrik argued that relying too heavily on AI could gradually reduce people's natural problem-solving abilities.

"When we stop thinking for ourselves, we lose capabilities that humans have developed over thousands of years," he said.

Addressing widespread concerns that AI will eliminate jobs, he rejected the idea that automation necessarily leads to mass unemployment.

Instead, he said Bangladesh should focus on automating repetitive, non-core business functions while investing in workers so they can perform higher-value roles. 

"Technology should not replace people," Prof Henrik said. "It should enable people to do better work."

He argued that organisations should allocate more resources to training employees rather than spending heavily on software licences alone.

"People are Bangladesh's greatest national resource," he said. "Investing in human capability will generate far greater long-term value."

Looking beyond today's AI applications, the futurist identified what he called the "bio revolution" as Bangladesh's biggest future opportunity.

Unlike language-based AI systems, which analyse words and probabilities, he said biological AI built on cellular and molecular data could revolutionise food production, medicine, materials science and biotechnology.

Prof Henrik revealed plans to work with partners in Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia to develop a global biological database that could support future research and innovation.

"We want to create a biological knowledge platform based on plants, spices, animals and cellular structures," he said. "It should benefit humanity, not just a handful of companies."

According to him, Bangladesh's rich biodiversity gives the country a unique opportunity to become an important contributor to this emerging field.

"This is the first time Bangladesh has the chance not simply to manufacture products designed elsewhere, but to create knowledge the world will need," he said.

Prof Henrik also cautioned Bangladesh against becoming overly dependent on foreign AI platforms. 

Every interaction with international AI systems, he noted, contributes valuable information to companies outside the country.

"When people constantly upload knowledge to foreign AI platforms, they are exporting intellectual capital," he said. "Today many services are free, but that may not remain the case forever."

Prof Henrik urged journalists, students and professionals to continue developing their own writing, analytical and research skills instead of relying exclusively on AI-generated content.

"If people stop learning the fundamentals, they risk losing capabilities they may desperately need in the future," he warned.

On public policy, the futurist said governments should prioritise strategic planning, infrastructure development and human capital over excessive digitalisation for its own sake.

"Technology should solve real problems," he said. "Invest first in people, clean water, quality food, transport and energy. These are the foundations of long-term competitiveness."

Prof Henrik also encouraged policymakers to design regulations that strengthen industries rather than merely imposing restrictions. "Policies should enable businesses to compete globally," he said.

The textile sector, Bangladesh's largest export industry, could significantly improve efficiency through AI-powered workflow management, warehouse optimisation and robotic process automation without threatening millions of workers, he added.

Skills create opportunities

The futurist expressed particular optimism about Bangladesh's youthful population, describing adaptability as the country's greatest competitive advantage. 

"The Fourth Industrial Revolution is ultimately about people," he said. "Technology changes, but people adapt."

He encouraged young Bangladeshis to focus less on "following dreams" and more on acquiring practical, marketable skills. "Dreams are emotions," he said. "Skills create opportunities."

From finance and engineering to agriculture and healthcare, Prof Henrik argued that every profession will increasingly depend on continuous learning rather than formal qualifications alone.

Reflecting on his visit, the futurist said Bangladesh's greatest strength lies not only in its industries but also in its people.

"I found people who are positive, resilient and optimistic despite many challenges," he said. "That hope is Bangladesh's greatest asset."