Don’t Put A Stopgap On Learning. Learn AI

A threat or an opportunity? It is always said that there are two sides to a coin but what of the then probably three-dimensional view? We are in the age of disruptive technological innovation that has given humanity new and more perspectives to look at a coin and either choose to take it as an opportunity for growth, or see it as a threat and be driven by anxiety. Or choose to ignore it in its entirety from the knowledge downright to how it’s impacting society. This is the quest for innovation.

From augmented reality to artificial intelligence, we have heard and interacted with these terminologies that have emerged on our forays as the world gradually revolutionizes in the age of not only innovation but disruptive innovation. The question is, how are you positioning yourself when it comes to Artificial Intelligence?

In Jerry Corsten’s words ‘Never forget to remain a student while you teach others’. Learning cannot be overemphasized. Learning is always a gradual but progressive journey that benefits humanity, and learning artificial intelligence should be a key consideration for every individual seeking to strategically position themselves for career growth and relevance. It should be embraced by any individual ready to explore ways that artificial intelligence can be utilized to improve our living standards and for anyone seeking more innovative ways of doing things and maybe, emerge with an innovation. It entails going with an unlimited mindset of change and growth.

Even though it may not be shouted in our different Communication circles, the world and particularly industries are undergoing drastic change that may appear silent or limited depending on what you choose to listen to or not listen to. Limitations that can only be delimited by our resolve to delve into the learning waters of innovation, particularly AI. It is a wind of change and no individual in the Communication circle should downplay its impact on functions and overall productivity. You do not want to be the person in the room whose, anxiety rises at the mention of Bing, Copilot, or the famous ChatGPT 3.5 which has now advanced to CHATGPT 4.0., and you are dreading and avoiding any talk related to AI. Or avoiding any question related to comprehending the difference between CHATGPT 3.5 and 4.0.? If so, you are the right candidate for learning. ?It is a sign that you should be intentional in learning AI basics and keeping up with the emerging trends as it is constantly evolving. ?

As a communication practitioner and all the more that our relevance cuts across a multiplicity of industries, you should at the very least be acquainted with knowledge of foundational models and large language models. Simply understand which occurs where, how Generative AI runs, how to issue prompts, and resources available for practice and upskilling.

But again why?

Beyond the basic usability scenarios of doing what humans can do with AI, and the threats constantly being spoken of, learning will allow us to understand how to work with AI and focus on improving our productivity. It will demystify the threats and allow practitioners to be equipped, seeking better ways to work with AI and improve work productivity including time management. Additionally, knowledge of AI limitations, including testing of LLMs may be a likely area of opportunity for ideation and exploring new ground of possibilities. Innovation is never limited to technical courses but is equally for the non-technical fields, and working collaboratively is what produces results.

From a leadership angle, learning AI contributes to ethical decision-making and it is only through comprehensive information that one can better make impactful decisions. What of the Data Protection Act? What of the General Data Protection Regulation? Are you aware of its impact on AI especially on storage and use of personal data by organizations? In such a case it would be paramount to have comprehensive knowledge of foundational models and Large Language models including how they are ‘trained and fine-tuned’ to perform better on a specific task with retraining on a new data set. When it comes to the data source, every individual should be concerned about the sources of data being used both for initial training and ‘grounding’ – terminologies that become simple if one takes a keen interest in learning.

However, a knowledge and skills gap ensues when you do not understand AI basics and its interactions with data and how to incorporate it in policies to better ensure compliance and protect organizations and individuals. Remember, AI is driven by data, and the quality of data fed into the different models for training ‘may’ determine its output. There are many use-case scenarios for those in the Communication space and beyond, but the ultimate endeavor is intentionality in learning AI. Start and don’t stop learning.