#Career101: BARD-core skills for the age of AI

Intro
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has seamlessly intertwined itself with our lives, from assisting us in our shopping journeys and daily work tasks to advising us on polishing up our resumes - and everything else in between. With the rise of chatbots like ChatGPT, Bard and Jasper Chat, the world has quickly moved from search engines to these robustly knowledgeable platforms.

AI’s capabilities extend far beyond assisting individual users and is heavily utilised within the business sector too. According to data, the use of AI in certain commercial areas has increased by 270% in the last four years.

Navigating Evolving Workplace Dynamics
The rapid development of AI has seen many businesses utilise it to perform mundane and labour-intensive tasks with high speed and accuracy. This begs the question: How many jobs will AI take over?

With the extensive integration of AI in businesses, employees need to adapt and keep up with the dynamic changes in their workplace to ensure that AI does not become a threat to individual livelihood, but boosts it instead. After all, statistics show that 60% of workers have experienced increased productivity with the adoption of AI.

Blending AI with Skillsets
To effectively manage the impact of AI on your job among other opportunities, a mindset shift is necessary. By taking over routine tasks, AI opens up new opportunities and increases human efficiency and effectiveness. At this juncture, what sets humans apart from AI are facets like creativity, critical thinking, and emotional understanding. So, it is time to invest in learning and upskilling yourself in the areas that make us human!

As the AI industry is ever-evolving, staying up to date is critical. According to PwC's Global Artificial Intelligence Study, the use of AI leads to enhanced organisational productivity and a surge in consumer demand. Businesses that incorporate AI have shown noticeable economic advantages.

It also released a report stating that AI can contribute to the global economy by up to $15.7T and can boost local economic GDP by up to 26% in 2023. Thus, highlighting that companies should strive to skillfully use AI to stay competitive within their industries.

Shaking Industries Up with AI
AI has transformed various businesses and reshaped how they work and operate, opening up new opportunities and innovations. It has enhanced operations in the medical field as well. For example, in radiology, AI algorithms are able to provide more precise classifications. They can distinguish even the slightest anomalies in data images, acting as a second opinion for radiologist analysis and reducing the time needed for a practitioner.

In the retail sector, demand forecasting is one of the cooler things that is possible with AI assistance. With AI technology, companies can better understand consumers' wants and tastes, predicting demand trends with more ease and accuracy. Such technology cuts down on excess inventory and lowers the need for discounts, as well as satisfies customer demand with more trendy products in stock.

An example is Nike: The business acquired the AI platform, Celect, to more accurately project consumer demand. It helps them figure out what people want and where they want it. This way, they can easily send products to the right places at the right times.

Now, let’s take a look at the research industry. The Singapore Computer Society launched an AI Ethics and Governance Body of Knowledge (BoK) in October 2020 – a programme meant to form the basis of training and certification programmes for professionals. As demonstrated in the Nanyang Technological University of Singapore (NTU), it was incorporated into a Mini-Masters in AI and AI Ethics – an alternative educational route for individuals to build their micro-credentials, therefore boosting their career prospects in the workplace for current or future employment.

AI is no stranger to the energy industry too. Producing energy has gotten cleaner, cheaper, and safer. Singapore energy tech company, SP Digital, uses AI to help the nation reduce electricity use. AI monitors the solar panels at Sembcorp Marine’s shipyard in order to determine the best time to utilise the equipment. Changi Airport also uses smart metres and advanced operational analytics, a technology built by SP Digital, to monitor electricity use. This implementation helps to reduce costs by 40%, as stated in 2019.

Thanks to AI's success, it is estimated that the global AI energy market might reach $7.78 billion by 2024.

With AI swiftly integrating into our lives, the best bet is to embrace it and work in tandem with it to retain and amplify our uniquely human skills and traits. It is important to approach AI as a game-changer instead of a disturbance. AI increases efficiency in processes by performing menial tasks, thereby accelerating the rates of securing a job.

Furthermore, space is created by AI to cultivate our uniquely human skillsets of a higher level, such as creativity, critical thinking, and emotional understanding. Not only will this partnership spark inventive innovations, but it will also provide endless possibilities for a rousing future in our personal, professional and daily lives.

With AI, upskilling to increase our leverage in the job market becomes easier, making employment smoother. Simultaneously, we must also prepare for rainy days before deciding to leave our jobs. Careful consideration; including ensuring that we have the financial capability to make the bold move, and planning is essential even as we move up in the job market.