There is a lot of talk about artificial intelligence (AI) nowadays, and in my view, not without reason. AI is already changing the way people and companies work every day. Like all previous technological revolutions — industrial ones or the advent of computing — AI brings both challenges and opportunities: new industries are emerging, and work roles are being redefined. Thus, artificial intelligence has the potential to stimulate innovation and boost productivity. However, transition periods can be painful for some people.
Image created using a neural network
AI is already increasing labor productivity — the study “Macroeconomic Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Productivity”, conducted in Japan in December 2024, shows that implementing AI provides labor productivity growth of 0.5–0.6% at the level of the entire country’s GDP. Today, the benefits come through automation of routine tasks and faster analytics, and later this may lead to the reorganization of business processes and the emergence of new products.
At the same time, many developed economies observe the so-called “productivity paradox”: the spread of useful technologies does not always immediately translate into economic indicators. This is due to insufficient investment in infrastructure, business integration, and human capital development. Measurement issues of new digital services may also hide the real benefits. To realize AI’s potential, people need not only technical skills but also digital literacy, critical thinking, retraining ability, and organizational reforms that allow scaling the results.
AI is becoming one of the main drivers of global transformation, and for Ukraine it opens opportunities that were hard to imagine a few years ago. Ukraine has a strong IT sector, flexible thinking, and unique crisis adaptation experience. These factors enable not only the implementation of technologies but also the creation of solutions that can simultaneously change the economy and strengthen security. For example, on the Diia.AI portal, an AI agent already works in beta mode, providing services to citizens, issuing certificates, and integrating into the ecosystem of e-services. Other projects are also underway, integrating AI into state service business interfaces with ministries and international partners. A new wave of Ukrainian AI startups in business process automation, NLP, and data processing is attracting investments and entering foreign markets. For instance, Kyiv-based startup Respeecher, which works with film and gaming studios, has gained global recognition thanks to its high-quality voice-AI solutions and is actively cooperating with Hollywood producers. Ukrainian chatbot and AI agent developer BotsCrew received a controlling stake investment from US-based CourtAvenue in 2025. Another successful case of exit through M&A is Newzmate, which sold its assets to American company Piano, providing software for automated content marketing and personalization for media companies.
The war has only accelerated this process. For instance, Ukrainian defence-tech startup Swarmer is developing an AI platform to manage swarms of drones, enabling a single operator to coordinate dozens of autonomous units even under GPS denial and electronic interference. In 2025, the company raised significant foreign funding. Another example is Farsight Vision, which transforms UAV video into 2D/3D maps. Such solutions are critical for defense, logistics, and infrastructure tasks where rapid digital mapping is needed.
Labor shortages and high demand for efficiency make automation and digitalization inevitable. Post-war recovery of Ukraine will require major investments, rapid reforms, and coordination between government and the private sector — simultaneously a chance for European integration and economic modernization. Ukraine may become not only a user but also a creator of new technological standards. The key question is whether the country can turn these opportunities and challenges into long-term advantage.
Advantages of Implementing Artificial Intelligence
AI is increasingly acting as a partner that helps us make decisions, create innovations, and unlock new opportunities. Its benefits include:
Economic growth and innovation. AI stimulates economic growth by replacing routine labor and accelerating the emergence of new products and services. By 2030, AI may contribute significantly to global GDP. It will also create demand for new jobs (data analysts, AI system developers) while eliminating old professions. Automation overall fuels growth and innovation.
Improved decision-making and resource optimization. AI processes massive datasets much faster than humans, leading to better decisions in healthcare, finance, manufacturing, and more. It also helps companies optimize resource allocation. For instance, analytical AI systems enable banks to plan better. Even in the military field, Ukrainian autonomous drones with AI hit targets 3–4 times more effectively than conventional ones.
Image created using a neural network
Challenges of the AI Era for People and Society
While AI creates opportunities, it also poses serious challenges:
Job automation. Automating routine tasks frees people for more complex, creative work, but risks displacing certain professions. Estimates suggest hundreds of millions of jobs may be affected, though outcomes depend on adoption pace. AI also creates new roles: data analysts, ML engineers, AI tool developers. The World Economic Forum — Future of Jobs Report 2025 predicted simultaneous large-scale changes: disappearance of some jobs and creation of others. Data processing technologies alone are expected to create ~11 million new jobs while replacing ~9 million.
Ethical and regulatory issues. Standards must be developed alongside implementation. For example, AI adoption in banking should comply with NBU requirements and international safety standards.
Transformation of roles. AI automates tasks, not entire professions. This requires retraining. The labor market will experience “shifting” roles: some professions disappear, others evolve.
How to Turn Challenges into Opportunities
To harness AI wisely, action is needed now:
Small pilot projects and training. Automating selected processes in test teams minimizes risk and speeds adaptation. Simultaneously, investment in employee training (data analytics, software tools) turns potential job losses into career growth opportunities.
Combination of skills. Professionals need both technical skills (data, algorithms, programming) and soft skills (creativity, critical thinking, communication, change management). This balance allows effective human-AI collaboration.
Government support and ethics. Governments should support retraining programs, help SMEs adopt AI/cloud solutions, and enforce transparency and data protection. For example, if procurement uses AI algorithms to evaluate bids, it must be clear which data and criteria are considered and whether bias is present.
I am confident that integrating AI together with parallel investments in people and processes transforms short-term operational gains into long-term value: such companies will generate innovations faster, optimize costs, attract skilled talent, and withstand competition globally.
Translation from Ukrainian done using artificial intelligence.
