Skills Required in the Age of Accelerating AI

In a world where knowledge is a commodity, the ability to use and apply knowledge is the differentiator.

The World Economic Forum has published its annual report on the future of jobs in 2023, and it makes for interesting reading.  It is clear that businesses will have to rethink how they do business.  As with many technological trends, I believe we will overestimate the impact in the short term but underestimate the impact in the medium and long term.  At Growth Factor consultants, we consistently focus on helping people develop core skills in order for them to be successful and create significant impact.  Now, more than ever, businesses must invest in training that impacts people’s behaviour.  In a world where knowledge is a commodity, the ability to use and apply knowledge is the differentiator.

Some of the highlights are:

They foresee the loss of 14 million jobs worldwide over the next five years, which equates to 2% of the jobs available.

Like always, there will be winners and losers, and the winners are mostly driven by technology.

Technological solutions will replace a number of fields.  Among the first to be impacted will be:

  • Bank Tellers and Related Clerks 
  • Postal Service Clerks 
  • Cashiers and Ticket Clerks 
  • Data Entry Clerks 
  • Administrative and Executive Secretaries 
  • Material-Recording and Stock-Keeping Clerks 
  • Accounting, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Clerks 
  • Legislators and Officials 
  • Statistical, Finance, and Insurance Clerks 
  • Educational sector support – course development 

Some job categories will grow in the coming years.  According to the the WEF, the fastest-growing job categories will be:

  • AI and Machine Learning Specialists 
  • Sustainability Specialists 
  • Business Intelligence Analysts 
  • Information Security Analysts 
  • FinTech Engineers 
  • Data Analysts and Scientists 
  • Robotics Engineers 
  • Big Data Specialists 
  • Agricultural Equipment Operators 
  • Digital Transformation Specialists 

Over and above the hard skills listed above, a set of core skills will be required for a business to move forward.  These core skills are:

  • Analytical thinking
  • Creative thinking
  • Resilience and flexibility
  • Agility
  • Intrinsic motivation
  • Self-awareness 
  • Curiosity and lifelong learning 

I would add Communication Skills and the ability to transfer and develop skills to this list.

At Growth Factor Consultants, we stand ready to assist you and your team in tackling the brave new world of AI by developing your team’s core skills and setting them up for success.

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