Artificial intelligence may replace some jobs, but it can also give us a competitive advantage in the workplace.
Nearly all executives (96%) see the need to incorporate AI into business operations. Slack Workforce Lab survey conducted in March 2024 among 10,000+ professionals.
But you're not alone if you're feeling conflicted about this new technology. Researchers don't seem to agree on whether and how workers are using AI. Some reports claim that experts are excited about and experimenting with AI, while others say the majority of adults have never used AI tools at work or don't trust them.
Regardless of where you stand on AI, people who don't learn how to use it risk missing out on career opportunities compared to those who do, a new study from Microsoft and LinkedIn finds.
AI skills could rival work experience in hiring decisions — and not just in tech
The report, which surveyed more than 30,000 people across 31 countries, found that nearly 70% of leaders would not hire someone without AI skills, and would rather hire a less experienced candidate with AI skills over an experienced candidate without them.
“Learning foundational AI skills like prompt engineering, machine learning, and data literacy is the best insurance you can have to compete against more experienced people,” Aneesh Raman, vice president and talent expert at LinkedIn, told CNBC Make It.
While some companies, including Google and Amazon, have announced investments in teaching employees AI skills, such efforts are not common: Only 25% of companies plan to offer training on generative AI tools such as ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot, according to a Microsoft/LinkedIn survey.
There are plenty of free online courses available to learn AI skills, offered by companies like IBM and Google, as well as Ivy League universities like Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania.
According to Colette Stallbaumer, general manager of Microsoft Copilot and co-founder of Microsoft WorkLab, the hype around AI is far from peaking and is just starting to heat up.
Microsoft, of course, is betting big on AI: In May, the tech giant announced it would invest $3.3 billion over the next four years in building out new cloud and AI infrastructure.
“Less than two years after the emergence of generative AI, the technology is being woven into the fabric of jobs across a wide range of industries,” Stallbaumer said. “This is happening at a critical time, when the pressures, volume and pace of work caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have barely abated. Workers are overwhelmed and looking to AI for help.”
Generative AI tools in particular are seeing a surge in adoption in the workplace, with usage doubling in the past six months, according to reports from Microsoft and LinkedIn.
It's not just programmers and engineers who are trying out these tools: architects, project managers, administrative assistants and other professionals are among those most eager to tap into AI's capabilities.
Stalbaumer added that non-tech industries such as healthcare, finance and marketing are rapidly adopting AI technologies to improve operational efficiency and productivity, increasing demand for professionals skilled in these tools and creating new job opportunities.
Gen Z can use AI to accelerate their careers
As more leaders require AI skills from new hires, Younger applicants with AI acumen are more likely to have better job opportunities than more experienced colleagues who lack those skills. Accelerate your advancement within the company.
A Microsoft and LinkedIn study found that Gen Z employees, who are digital natives, are more likely to use these tools in the workplace than their millennial, Gen X, and baby boomer colleagues.
Additionally, data from Microsoft and LinkedIn found that 77% of leaders say early-career talent with AI skills will be given more responsibility in the workplace.
Raman said AI can also help young professionals advance their careers by giving them quicker access to tailored career advice, market research and other data-driven insights, making them more confident and capable at work.
Lydia Logan, vice president of global education and talent development at IBM, expects the rapid integration of AI into the workplace to lead to major changes in entry-level roles.
“When I think about my first job, a lot of the work I did was answering phones and filing paperwork, which a lot of people still do today,” she says. “A lot of those administrative tasks can now be automated with AI, so even entry-level employees have the space to take on the responsibilities that might be held by someone one or two levels above them in the company.”
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