AI Is Coming For Your Job!

AI is coming for your job!?

Okay, that was just to grab your attention.?

But it’s definitely one of the common objections you hear about artificial intelligence (AI), and from my perspective, one of my major concerns is how it could impact the workforce in terms of underemployment and unemployment.?

I don’t have the answers to those questions. Not right now anyway.

But what I can tell you is that I’ve decided to shift gears slightly.

Instead of dreading or resisting it, I’m getting involved.?

What does getting involved look like??

Before I tell you that, let’s look at the proportion of corporations that already use AI, or are considering introducing it into their workflows.?

Figures vary wildly depending on which publication you read and where the authors are based, but I’ve found a fantastic report published by IBM in 2023 – called the Global AI Adoption Index – which shines some light on how widespread AI is being adopted.?

According to the report, 37% of enterprise-scale companies (i.e. companies with more than 1,000 employees) in the U.K. have actively deployed AI.?

If you think that sounds impressive, that number pales in significance to countries such as China, Singapore, the UAE and India where it grows to 50%, 53%, 58% and 59% respectively.

Bear in mind that the report was published in 2023, so these number will have increased...

...also, 41% of large companies in the U.K. are experimenting with AI (again, a year on this figure will be higher). While their models have not been deployed and so are not yet in use, it’s clear that it’s only a matter of time.

And one of the biggest reasons delaying that deployment is limited AI skills.?

Now, you might think, if companies want to implement AI perhaps they should focus on upskilling their teams??

Perhaps, but as someone who has worked on a freelance basis since 2012, I’m not about to put my destiny in anyone else’s hands!

I have previously been skeptical about AI, but I’ll explain why I’ve had a change of heart:

Resistance didn’t stop the invention of cars, planes, the internet, and the mobile phone. If AI is going to be part of the evolving technology landscape (and its influence is only going to grow), it makes sense to adopt it sooner rather than later.

Yes, they may be areas of concern, but the aforementioned all had disadvantages too. In the main, all have contributed positively to mankind.

It also means I will be in a better position in terms of opportunities, career prospects and wider conversations about ethics and so on, if I am on the field.

Sitting on the sidelines will not give me a voice, and I believe different perspectives are crucial in this space.

I said I’d tell you what “getting involved” with AI will look like for me.?

I’ll be learning more about it, and sharing interesting resources I come across.

I’ll be writing more about it too. Different use cases, sectors that are at the forefront of using AI, concerns, how it can be used to manage change (which is what I do), and a lot more.

What about you??

What’s your experience with AI? Were you an early adopter, or are you dismissive of it??

Or maybe you’re learning more about it too…?

…let me know in the comments. As always, I’d love to hear what you think.