CHALLENGES IN TRAINING SPECIALISTS IN ECONOMIC FIELDS IN THE CONTEXT OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TECHNOLOGIES

Abstract

The article provides a comprehensive analysis of the challenges facing the system of higher economic education amid the rapid proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. The study's relevance is driven by the fundamental labor market transformation and changing competency requirements for economists, creating a significant gap between traditional educational programs and real business needs. The integration of AI into economic processes, from automation to building complex predictive models, demands new skills from specialists. The article aims to identify, systematize, and analyze key problems in training economists, and to develop recommendations for modernizing the educational process. The scientific novelty lies in the development of the author's systematization of priority competencies for an economist in the AI era and the justification of a set of measures to overcome the shortage of teaching staff in this field. The research employed a systematic approach, methods of scientific literature analysis, and generalization of expert consultations with representatives of the academic community and the IT business. The main challenges identified are the inertia of curricula, a shortage of practitioner-lecturers, an insufficient material and technical base, and the dominance of a theoretical approach. Special attention is given to the paradigm shift in required competencies: from performing calculations to formulating tasks for AI systems, critically evaluating their results, and considering ethical aspects. The author proposes modernization directions for the educational process, including interdisciplinary courses, integration of practical case studies, development of project-based learning, and innovative models of university-IT company collaboration to address the staff shortage. It is concluded that the successful adaptation of the education system requires a deep structural transformation aimed at fostering a new type of thinking in future economists – analytical, systemic, and innovative – which is crucial for the country's economic growth.