On March 16th, 2026, the international forum “Future of Work in the Age of AI” is taking place in Rīga, bringing together more than 700 leaders from government, business, the technology sector, academia, and civil society from across the world.
The forum gets under way at 09:00 and will focus on discussions about how artificial intelligence is transforming the labour market, how to develop the skills needed for the future, and how Europe can prepare people for the new economy.
As part of the forum, Saadia Zahidi, Managing Director of the World Economic Forum, will visit the Baltic states for the first time. She leads the organization’s Centre for the New Economy and Society, which works with governments, companies, and academic institutions to promote economic opportunity, labor market transformation, and skills development in a rapidly changing global economy.
Saadia Zahidi is one of the authors of several of the most influential global studies on the future of work, including the Future of Jobs Report, the Future of Growth Report, and the Global Gender Gap Report. Her analysis of labor market transformation and skills development is widely used in shaping government and corporate strategies worldwide. Zahidi has also been included in the BBC’s list of the world’s most influential women, “100 Women,” and has served on the United Nations Secretary-General’s advisory panel on women’s economic empowerment.
The forum will also feature President of Latvia Edgars Rinkēvičs, Prime Minister Evika Siliņa, European Commission Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills Roxana Mînzatu, Google Vice President for Government Affairs and Public Policy in Europe Annette Kroeber-Riel, Chief Macroeconomist of the International Labour Organization Dr. Ekkehard Ernst, Executive Director of the MIT Center for Collective Intelligence Kathleen D. Kennedy, as well as representatives from the OECD and other international organizations.
“Europe is currently facing an ageing population, a shortage of talent, and fragmented education, training, and labor market systems. Therefore, it is particularly important to strengthen cooperation between educational institutions and employers, promote lifelong learning, and provide people with clear and accessible career development pathways,” said Evita Simsone, Director of the State Employment Agency, ahead of the conference.
More information and the agenda for the day are available at: www.futureofworkeurope.org and you can follow a livestream of the event via the link below.
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