COP31 Panel Pushes AI Upskilling, From Trades to the Global South
COP 31 Special Events • United NationsNovember 12, 2026
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A COP31 side panel on Nov. 12, 2026, focused on one question: who gets trained for the AI transition, and who gets left behind. No votes were taken. Instead, speakers from Kyndryl, ServiceNow, Brazil's government and the International Telecommunication Union promoted voluntary tools, including a new AI Climate Institute and the Antalya AI Pledge, to close skills, infrastructure and data gaps.
- 84% of organizations deploying AI beyond pilots, but 51% worry about a skills gap, Kyndryl findings show
- ServiceNow targets upskilling 3 million people; panelists say training should reach the trades
- AI Climate Institute launches Nov. 16 at the Brazilian Pavilion; Antalya AI Pledge opens to governments and companies
- "Shadow AI" and AI agents flagged as blind spots for security and governance
- Audience question on data centers and water draws Brazil's sustainability-conditioned tax relief model
Why it matters: Uneven AI skills could leave workers and developing regions behind as AI moves from experiment to everyday operations. The skills question drew more discussion than any other topic on the panel.
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