AI and your role; harnessing the advantages, and preparing for change

As AI continues to reshape ways of working, innovations, priorities, and business strategies, many are wondering “what does all this mean for me?”

If you’re a business leader, you’ll be craving clarity on the skills needed in your organisation, in which roles, and how they should be applied.

If you’re an employee, you’ll want to know which AI skills will help you get ahead in your career, which AI tools you should be using (as well as the missteps to avoid), and ultimately, how AI might change the nature of your job as you know it…

To unpack all that and more, we connected with one of QA’s experts on all things AI; Learning Consultant Vicky Crockett.

Implementing generative AI in your everyday work

There are countless benefits to gain from generative AI solutions (provided they’re used safely!). For Vicky, it’s about time saved.

“I think the most exciting thing is how quickly I can turn my ideas into reality – research that might have taken me three or four years to complete, I can now execute in a tiny fraction of the time. The limit is my imagination and the time it takes to amend the generated output.”

With truly effective use of the power of AI, the real-world impacts are expansive. Revolutionary innovations that would otherwise still be a decade away, can now emerge on an accelerated timeline.

‘Trust in AI is the issue of our age’

However, many are reticent about the drawbacks and dangers of generative AI in the workplace. Both the consequences of poor practice, and the potential for machine intelligence to begin replacing human talent.

Vicky believes that strategic caution is prudent:

“I’m part of a generation that has seen society’s attitudes towards data protection and privacy evolve. There’s an understandable need for clear rules before people will embrace Generative AI in their work. Clear leadership, strategy, change management, and Data and AI governance are key skills to get things started.”

It all hinges on trust. Without clarity and accountability where output or products are AI-assisted, and without the assurance of best practices to ensure the quality of AI’s work, trust is lost. Between colleagues, between employee and employer, between business and customer. Vicky stresses that “this is an issue both individuals and organisations should be thinking carefully about.”

Human in the loop

What of the rise of intelligent machines putting us all out of a job?

In short, Vicky isn’t concerned:

“Businesses will still need most of the same skills they’ve always had – there has to be a human in the loop checking the AI system’s outputs or your product will be devalued.”

For both talent and businesses, focus should be less on the potential loss of roles, and more on the emergence of new ones – which will be many!

While many existing skillsets will remain crucial, AI-augmented teams can be leaner, becoming more technically driven for higher impact. Many organisations will therefore experience a need to transition their workforce into these AI-facilitating roles. For digital change on this scale, cohesive, effective reskill programmes for large cohorts of employees can be crucial.

Vicky encourages individuals, too, to be open to learning new skills – those that, for many, probably didn’t exist when you were at school or in your early career. This will place you at the forefront of a new kind of skills marketplace.

Data and AI: the job roles of the future

But what do those new roles, brought about by the advent of AI, look like? And which skills should we be looking to gain or develop?

“I already see an increase in the number of technical staff needed, like Data Scientists, Data Engineers, Machine Learning and AI Engineers, AI Governance and Security, and emerging roles like AIOps and AI Testers,” says Vicky.

The type of technical skills needed will vary between organisations. However, many are choosing Microsoft Copilot as their starting point. Crucially, it’s a Generative AI solution that’s set up to enable security and governance.

Time to act on AI

For Vicky, “it’s an exciting time to be involved in training and mentoring staff – certainly keeps me and the team busy and engaged with the latest developments!”

We at QA believe it’s an exciting time for businesses across various sectors, too. A time full of opportunity to harness a more innovative, efficient, and powerful future for your organisation.

We’re not alone. The UK government echo this, calling for businesses to embrace AI, and offering eligible organisations funding to do just that!

Yes, you read that right.

With the flexible AI upskilling fund pilot, you can apply for a grant of £10,000 for AI related skills training. It’s an opportunity to jump at! But the application window closes on the 18th August, so from us to you - don’t delay.

We’re here to help you get ready for a future shaped by AI. Check out our AI page to learn more, or speak to our team about your AI journey today.