Future Of Work Hinges On AI Upskilling, Says New Report
A new report released by the AI-Enabled ICT Workforce Consortium says that the majority of internet-related tech jobs will be transformed by AI.
The report was led by Cisco, and created by consortium members such as Google, IBM, Indeed, Intel, Microsoft and SAP, and features analysis by Accenture.
By its findings, 92% of ICT jobs will go through “high or moderate transformation” due to AI, but entry-level and mid-level jobs are set to have the most change.
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Adapting to the AI revolution
Helpfully, the report also identifies AI literacy, data analytics and prompt engineering as essential training areas for ICT workers seeking to adapt to the AI revolution.
It also names AI ethics, responsible AI, prompt engineering, AI literacy, large language models [LLM] architecture and agile methodologies as where significant opportunities for learning and development lie.
In-demand skills are being upended, and the report says that “traditional data management, content creation, documentation maintenance, basic programming and languages, and research information” could become less relevant as AI continues to change workplaces.
Of course, the consortium is tooting its own horn about upskilling programmes.
Francine Katsoudas, chief people, policy and purpose officer at Cisco, and founding member of the AI-Enabled ICT Workforce Consortium, says: “Across the Consortium member companies, we have made it our collective responsibility to train and upskill 95 million people over the next 10 years. By investing in a long-term roadmap for an inclusive workforce, we can help everyone participate and thrive in the era of AI.”
Shifting discourse
Job losses due to AI advancements remain a worry. A January 2024 study by the World Economic Forum found that 58% of employees surveyed expect big data and AI to have a substantial impact on their job abilities over the next five years.
While an even more recent survey by Microsoft and LinkedIn revealed that (45%) of workers worry AI will replace their job completely.
However, conversations are shifting from scaremongering headlines about AI taking jobs, to a focus on driving value creation, instead of just cost-cutting. More and more the potential of the technology to enhance, rather than replace, workstreams is becoming the focus.
In a recent interview in the FT with James Manyika, Google’s senior VP for research, technology and society, he suggests that tech company AI adoption won’t change things massively.
“In the US, the tech sector is about 4% of the labor force. Even if the entire tech sector adopted it 100%, it doesn’t matter from a labor productivity standpoint.”
However, “very large sectors” adopting the technology, such as healthcare and retail, could really impact jobs.
Reassuring words, but not for those who work for CEOs who have advised software engineers to upskill and learn new technologies, broadly hinting that AI could replace their coding work.
According to recordings of a recent fireside chat that were leaked, Matt Garman of Amazon Web Services (AWS) reportedly said: “If you go forward 24 months from now, or some amount of time — I can’t exactly predict where it is — it’s possible that most developers are not coding.”
Where everyone seems to be aligned is that although some tasks are being automated, those with AI skills will be better prepared for the future of work, than those who ignore it.
For example, while basic programming tasks may become less important, the ability to design complex systems that integrate AI components effectively are likely to become highly valued.
Similarly, while AI may handle routine product documentation, the human touch in crafting nuanced, context-aware communication will remain essential.
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Amid these strong calls to evolve, tech workers are looking at reputable brick-and-mortar universities and colleges that are committed to promoting AI education, such as Stanford’s Deep Learning program.
But online educators like Datacamp, Udemy Codecademy, Coursera, and edX are also popular for shorter-term upskilling, especially when courses come with certification.
And as many programmers know, often the best way to learn is to do. From coding challenges to personal projects, hands-on learning experiences usually go far beyond theory when it comes to truly understanding a technology.
Engaging in real-world projects, contributing to open-source AI initiatives, and participating in AI hackathons can all provide valuable practical experience that neatly complements formal training programmes.