Bank of Cyprus brings students face to face with the realities of AI

The impact of artificial intelligence on education, employment and future career prospects was at the centre of a Bank of Cyprus (BoC) event this week, bringing students together with experts to discuss how technology is changing the skills needed in the workplace. Held as part of the bank’s ‘Young People Ask’ initiative, the discussion gave pupils an opportunity to raise concerns about AI, question its growing influence on traditional professions and explore how they can prepare for an increasingly technology-driven labour market. The initiative forms part of the bank’s corporate social responsibility programme, which aims to encourage dialogue between young people and specialists on issues affecting their education and future careers. Leading the discussion was Elpidoforos Anastasiou, head of educational innovation for STEAM and emerging technologies at Globeducate and head of innovation at Pascal. Anastasiou, who also founded the Cyprus Space Foundation and is pursuing a doctorate at the Cyprus University of Technology, spoke about the growing role of AI in education and the changes it could bring to employment. Drawing on his experience in educational technology and innovation, he discussed how existing professions could evolve, which skills might become more valuable and how schools and universities could better prepare students for the changes ahead. He is also the creator of Tefkros, the first interactive AI museum guide developed for the BoC Cultural Foundation. The discussion also brought in an employer’s perspective, with Marilena Ioannidou, the bank’s manager of rewards and organisational effectiveness, addressing the changing demands of the labour market and employment opportunities within major organisations in Cyprus. She focused particularly on the skills employers increasingly require as technology changes the way businesses operate, alongside the importance of adapting to new working practices. Students, meanwhile, had the opportunity to explore how AI could affect established jobs, what new professional opportunities might emerge and whether traditional educational pathways would be enough to meet future demands. The event also forms part of the activities surrounding SPOUDA-ZO, an education exhibition organised by the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth on October 17, with the support of the Bank of Cyprus. Through its ‘Young People Ask’ initiative, the bank aims to give younger generations a greater say in discussions about the issues affecting them, while helping students make more informed decisions about their studies, skills and future employment.