Human Capital as a Key Factor of Innovation Policy in the Context of Digitalization of the Economy

The objective of the research is to identify human capital as the basis of innovative development in the context of the digitalising economy and its growing role within the framework of automation, AI and global competition. The impact of human capital on innovation processes and strategies of the leading countries worldwide is analysed, including the challenges of digitalisation, automation-driven risks and ethical aspects of AI. The methodology employed is comparative analysis of various types of intellectual capital (human, structural and customer ones), as well as its practice in Germany, the USA and China. The article describes modern digital technologies (cloud solutions, AI), their impact on the labour market. It also conducts a critical analysis of relevant statistics and reports (e.g. on scarce information security personnel). Findings. The article emphasises the significance of training personnel in the domain of security and digital technologies, which is of particular relevance for the Russian economy. Reference to specific universities and training programs serves to enhance a practical value to the given research.

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