10 tech jobs likely to grow in 5 years thanks to AI and automation

Over the past few years, there has been considerable discussion about jobs being disrupted by artificial intelligence (AI). However, it is also worth considering the human jobs that AI will help grow. A lot of it is technology related.

The World Economic Forum, which regularly analyzes the potential impact of AI on the economy and unemployment, has released a new report examining how the coronavirus pandemic could accelerate the automation of many jobs and tasks. As part of our analysis, we also consider the long-term impact of AI on the international job market.

“Just a few decades ago, the Internet raised similar concerns as it grew. Despite skepticism, the technology created millions of jobs and now accounts for 10% of the U.S. GDP,” the report says. “Today, AI is poised to deliver even greater growth to the U.S. and global economy. According to PwC’s annual Global CEO Survey, 63% of CEOs believe AI will have a greater impact than the Internet.”

A World Economic Forum report estimates that AI and automation will create 97 million new jobs by 2025, particularly in the following categories:

• data analysts and scientists
• AI and machine learning specialist
• big data specialist
• Digital marketing and strategy specialist
• Process automation specialist
• business development professional
• Digital transformation specialist
• information security analyst
• Software and application developers
• Internet of Things (IoT) Specialist

None of this is surprising. All work involves analyzing and parsing large amounts of data and code. Increasingly sophisticated automation and analysis tools have the potential to help all these technicians do their jobs more efficiently. For example, machine learning tools for cleaning datasets can help data analysts process data more efficiently for actionable insights. Similar principles are at work in marketing and cybersecurity, where AI can help parse out what’s useful from an endless barrage of data. This means that more qualified employees are always in demand.

More and more companies will look to these developers and experts to build tools and apps that leverage AI. Without AI, many of these companies could be at a competitive disadvantage to competitors looking to devote resources to developing solid AI practices.

Meanwhile, these AI-driven forces could eliminate as many as 85 million jobs, with the following categories particularly hard hit:

• data entry clerk
• Administrative secretary and executive secretary
• Accounting, bookkeeping, payroll administration
• accountants and auditors
• assembly and factory workers
• Business Services and Administration Manager
• Customer Information and Customer Service Representative
• General Manager and Operations Manager
• mechanics and machine repairers
• Material record and inventory management section

“The rapid pace of technological innovation requires new training models to prepare the workforce for an AI-based future,” the report added. “True upskilling requires a citizen-led approach that focuses on applying new knowledge and developing an AI-enabled mindset. Employers should view upskilling and reskilling not as an expense but as an investment in the future of their organization.”

Approximately 50% of the workforce is likely to require some level of “reskilling” over the next five years. It’s not just technical skills. Learning “soft skills” such as communication and empathy can give you an advantage in a crowded job market, especially if you’re applying for a job that requires managing a team or communicating information to stakeholders across an organization.

Over the next few years, a wide range of technology jobs will require some level of AI and machine learning knowledge. This is not limited to data analysts and other professionals. According to Burning Glass, which collects and analyzes millions of job postings from across the country, the following are the percentages of popular technology jobs that require machine learning skills:

If you’re new to AI and machine learning, there are a variety of “crash courses” and training videos that will help you quickly understand the basic principles. Certifications in TensorFlow, AWS Machine Learning, and other core AI platforms are also on the rise.