From 2001: A Space Odyssey and Ex Machina to Wall-E and Her, artificial intelligence has reliably been a subject of fascination in modern culture.
But AI is no longer a thing of imagination, books or film scripts – it is already playing a pivotal role in both our professional and personal lives. And when it comes to the capability of this next-generation technology, we are now on the precipice of an exponential leap. The potential impact of AI on our lives cannot be understated, so the growing AI skills gap must be addressed if we are to ensure that businesses are prepared to take this jump.
AI has already transformed the way we interact with banks, how we shop and how we manufacture. Global spending on AI will top $500 billion next year, demonstrating that businesses across all industries are all too aware that it will be the defining technology of our time. Despite recognising the importance of AI, companies across Europe are facing a shortage of workers with proper skills training to adequately develop and support this rapidly advancing technology. Indeed, 34% of UK organisations expanded their use of AI during the Covid-19 pandemic, but only 27% of businesses leaders believe their non-technical workforce possess the skills necessary to take advantage of this technology.
The rollout of AI across sectors without an aptly trained workforce has the potential to stifle innovation and limit an organisation’s ability to leverage the technology in the most effective way possible. There is no predicting precisely how many jobs will be affected by AI in the future, but we do know that it will be many. And with this comes great opportunity: indeed, the Chancellor’s recently released Autumn Statement calls for support of the UK’s tech sector to boost the country’s future economic growth. We are uniquely well-placed to take advantage of the shift towards AI job creation: not only do we have 3 of the top 10 research universities in the world sitting within our borders, but we are also host to some of the most innovative institutions in the world. Supplying these emerging companies with the right talent could mean unbridled growth for the UK economy – something the country desperately needs right now.
So, what can be done to shrink the skills gap and ensure that the current and incoming workforce is suitably prepared to work alongside AI? Familiarity with technology begins with its socialisation, namely by gaining an understanding of what AI actuallyis. Luckily, people are already working with it on a daily basis – the iPhone in everyone’s pocket being the most obvious example. This AI-savviness will be essential when we look to a future in which the majority of the workforce will likely work with it in the context of their day-to-day jobs, whether that’s healthcare, cybersecurity or law.
