Intelligence: How can you stand out in the age of AI

It has been 70 years since British mathematician Alan Turing produced one of the most ground-breaking papers of the modern generation titled “Computing Machinery and Intelligence.” In his paper, Turing, who was instrumental in decoding the highly cryptic Nazi encryption machine, Enigma, which ultimately helped the Allied powers to win the World War II, asked a simple yet riveting question: “Can Machines Think?”

Today, our species’ advancement and innovation in the field of technology has answered Turing’s captivating question. Artificial Intelligence or AI seems to have grown exponentially over the years. While the jury is still out on whether the role of AI in the future would be complementary or disruptive in nature, AI has cemented itself as an integral part of our everyday lives.

In many ways, we have come a long way from fearing AI or robots taking over the world in a Terminator-esque world. In reality, AI has weaved and spun itself into each and every aspect of our lives; from determining our search results, through online dating matches to influencing our political views and taking over election patterns. Subsequently, the market size of AI has also grown over the years. From being valued around $27.3 billion in 2019, the market size of AI is expected to shoot up to $266.92 billion by 2027. This reflects a near tenfold increment in less than a decade. Data also points towards the AI sector witnessing a massive 270% growth over the past 4 years. It is clear then that organisations have started understanding the importance of AI as a tool to improve their business productivity.

So how do you fit in in this new age of AI? And what are these skills that one can cultivate to be prepared for the future?

Fostering Creativity?

In the age of AI, even though the machines are programmed to do many things including optimising old ideas, the human aspect of creativity, imagination, invention remains integral to designing solutions for tomorrow. This makes creativity an indispensable skill set to inculcate and hone for the future.?

Sharpening Critical Thinking?

Critical Thinking serves as the ability to think analytically and understand the problem at hand in a more nuanced manner. This involves breaking down data sets, identifying problem areas and executing changes that would bring out certain advancements. Technical skills must be complemented with a highly fostered critical thinking mind-set, which promotes optimal outcomes.?

Indulging in Active Learning

One of the key features of staying abreast with the technological innovations in the age of AI is to always have a growth oriented mind-set. This involves understanding the potential and limitations of one’s abilities and ensuring that one must have the ability to adapt to the technological changes happening around. People who are constantly on the lookout for improving themselves and their skill sets will be in high demand owing to the lightning fast pace at which technology will advance, deeming some skills to become outdated.?

Demonstrating Leadership and People Skills?

The age of AI would involve a reimagination of what it means to be a good, effective leader. This would mean adapting to the news ways of the world and evolving one’s way of managing teams, businesses and organisations. This would involve being embracing and flexible to technological change, having emotional intelligence to become more empathetic to one’s workers, having the vision to understand the role of how AI would transform the organisation and finally, the courage to execute change. Tomorrow’s leadership skills would become one of the most prized skills for any business to deal with the ever evolving nature of technological changes.?

Summary

Honing such skills would make you an indispensable tool to any organisation. If you are one of those whose primary skills lie in another field, the first step is to recognise and acknowledge the growing role of AI across diverse sectors such as medicine, automobile, e-commerce etc. AI is not something to be intimidated by. Rather, it’s something one must accept to live along with as the world around us evolves. Most importantly, it's critical to harness and wield the very skills that make us humans, human. It is important to be creative, to be able to think critically, to continuously and actively learn beyond text books and academics, and most importantly, to learn how to be a leader.

We must remember that these are the skills that made the machines and will continue to be the skills that make us indispensable for the future.?

Reference Links?

1. https://in.springboard.com/blog/soft-skills-artificial-intelligence-skills/
2. https://www.miningreview.com/health-and-safety/%EF%BB%BF10-soft-skills-needed-to-succeed-in-the-age-of-artificial-intelligence/
3. https://workofthefuture.mit.edu/research-post/artificial-intelligence-and-the-future-of-work/
4. https://www.oberlo.com/blog/artificial-intelligence-statistics
5. https://www.bcg.com/en-in/publications/2021/impact-of-new-technologies-on-jobs
6. https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2020/09/28/9-soft-skills-every-employee-will-need-in-the-age-of-artificial-intelligence-ai/?sh=47e4a8e654b8
7. https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2020/09/28/9-soft-skills-every-employee-will-need-in-the-age-of-artificial-intelligence-ai/?sh=4f3aa11854b8
8. https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2020/10/12/10-essential-leadership-qualities-for-the-age-of-artificial-intelligence/?sh=2deca89c7f79 ?
9. https://www.forbes.com/sites/ashleystahl/2021/03/10/how-ai-will-impact-the-future-of-work-and-life/?sh=11351efa79a3