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concentrate on basic and advanced digital skills such as data analysis, AI, programming,
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cybersecurity, and digital platform operations .
4.2. Roles of digital human resources
In the context where the digital economy has become the pillar of modern growth
models, digital human resources are not merely a conventional production factor but the
central force determining the competitiveness and long-term development capacity of
each nation. The roles of digital human resources are manifested across various
dimensions, from driving growth and leading digital transformation to ensuring
technological autonomy and sustainable development.
Firstly, digital human resources serve as the endogenous driving force promoting
digital economic growth. In a data and knowledge-driven economy, productivity no longer
depends primarily on physical capital or natural resources but relies on the capacity to
exploit, process and create value from information and technology. The quality and
structure of digital human resources determine the ability to establish new digital
industries, expand the scale of the digital market and enhance the technological content
within the value chain. When the workforce possesses high digital skills, enterprises can
apply advanced technologies to optimize production processes, reduce transaction costs,
improve productivity and create products and services with greater added value.
Therefore, digital human resources are the foundation for shifting the growth model from
an extensive to an intensive one, from relying on traditional input factors to relying on
innovation.
Secondly, digital human resources are the decisive factor for the success of the
digital transformation process within enterprises and the entire economy. In this process,
humans play the role of designing strategies, selecting appropriate technologies and
organizing implementation. Lacking a workforce with digital capabilities and innovative
thinking, transformation programs are prone to becoming superficial and lacking
sustainability. Conversely, when an enterprise possesses a digital workforce with solid
professional qualifications, data analysis capabilities and systems thinking, the
transformation process will occur more rapidly, effectively and generate substantial
changes in competitiveness.
Thirdly, digital human resources are the central subjects of the innovation ecosystem.
In the digital economy, innovation does not solely occur in laboratories but is also driven
by the interconnection between technology, the market and social needs. A highly
technologically capable workforce can research, develop and master new technologies
such as artificial intelligence, big data analytics and cybersecurity, thereby creating new
digital products and business models. Consequently, digital human resources not only
create direct economic value but also foster the formation of a dynamic innovative
ecosystem capable of spilling over into many other sectors of the economy.
Fourthly, digital human resources play a pivotal role in ensuring technological
autonomy and national digital sovereignty. In the context of increasingly fierce strategic
technological competition, reliance on external technologies and digital platforms can
create risks to security and long-term development. A nation can only enhance its level of
autonomy when it possesses a workforce sufficiently capable of researching, developing,
and operating core technologies. High-quality digital human resources not only help

5 Currently, countries around the world are focusing on six core competencies: digital technology utilization;
information and data exploitation; digital communication and interaction; information security; critical
thinking and problem-solving; innovation and creativity.
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