Tech industry heavyweights push for more AI training

Advancements in AI will affect nearly all IT jobs and employers need to get serious about training, according to the AI-Enabled ICT Workforce Consortium.

The consortium, which includes a number of major tech players such as Cisco, Microsoft, and Google, said 92% of IT jobs are likely to undergo either high or moderate transformation due to advancements in AI.

Entry-level and mid-level IT professionals are expected to see the biggest changes, with 40% of mid-level positions and 37% of entry level positions expected to have high levels of transformation.

"AI represents a never-before-seen opportunity for technology to benefit humankind in every way, and we have to act intentionally to make sure populations don't get left behind,” said Francine Katsoudas, chief people, policy and purpose officer, at Cisco, and founding member of the AI-Enabled ICT Workforce Consortium.

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"Across the Consortium member companies, we have made it our collective responsibility to train and upskill 95 million people over the next ten years. By investing in a long-term roadmap for an inclusive workforce, we can help everyone participate and thrive in the era of AI."

And as AI continues to redefine job functions, the consortium said, skills such as AI ethics, responsible AI, prompt engineering, AI literacy, large language model architecture, and agile methodologies will increase in importance.

Meanwhile, others, such as traditional data management, content creation, documentation maintenance, basic programming and languages, and research information may become less relevant.

AI literacy in the spotlight

All this means that organizations need to get serious about training, the consortium warned, suggesting that there are three essential common foundational skills required.

Data fundamentals training should cover data science principles and techniques, data classification, basic analytics, and story-telling with data; while prompt engineering should include how to interact with AI systems with prompts, prompting techniques, and developing an understanding of the potential and limitations of prompt engineering.

"As we look to unlock the full promise that AI brings, it is essential that we equip people with the skills they will need, and which they are eager to learn," said Ellyn Shook, chief leadership and human resources officer at Accenture. 

"The far-reaching impact of this technology demands that we design learning pathways that will position everyone to have deeper AI skills as the work in our industry requires.

"The initial report from the Consortium is an important step to turn aspiration to action – with specific reskilling recommendations that can accelerate progress for individuals, organizations, and society."

Nicole Helmer, vice president and global head of development learning at SAP, echoed Shook’s comments, adding: "What stands out from this research beyond the undeniable needs for responsible AI development and broad AI literacy across all ICT jobs, is the necessity for all roles to enhance their higher-order skills, such as critical thinking, creativity, and complex problem-solving."