In recent months, artificial intelligence (AI) developments have made tremendous strides and their usage has skyrocketed, especially after the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
While it may be reasonable to prepare for a world ruled by AI, more often than not the results are overstated and AI’s capabilities are overhyped.
People fear an uncertain future in which they risk losing their jobs, stability and value in society as their skills become increasingly easier to automate. However, AI will always require human cooperation and sometimes intervention in order to function properly.
“We don’t want to be completely dependent on AIs in the future, because what happens if the next virus isn’t the coronavirus, but a massive computer virus that basically renders all of our computers and destroys or locks down all of our computer systems?” Bernard Marr, a futurist and international best-selling author, told Euronews Next.
Skills you can skip thanks to AI
That said, while AI is not expected to fully mimic human capabilities, it is getting good at performing repetitive basic or robotic tasks.
This can save time and give people the space to explore the use of special human abilities, such as creativity and imagination.
“People often get scared when you think about all the possibilities that AI now has. So what does it mean for my work if someone who writes say, does it mean that in the future tools like ChatGPT will write all of our articles? And the answer is no. But what it will do is it will increase our jobs,” Marr added.
Here are five skills you can now skip thanks to recent developments in AI.
1. Write
AI’s natural language generation technology can be used to produce simple reports, news articles and other content.
As AI’s linguistic capabilities expand, it will augment human jobs in writing by summarizing information, making suggestions, and brainstorming ideas.
Employees already use chatbots like ChatGPT to write content relevant to their jobs, such as Human Resources teams with job descriptions.
Some people even make extra money by using AI to write and sell different types of books and content on Amazon, according to Reuters.
2. Art design
AI-powered tools can reduce manual design work by assisting with tasks such as image generation, layout design, and color scheme optimization.
While some argue that using AI to create art is not artistic, there are pioneers using AI to develop their style and craft.
For example, a photographer on Instagram who gained thousands of followers with stunning portraits admitted that they were actually created by AI software, Midjourney, and updated in Photoshop.
3. Data entry
“The input and processing of data will probably be automated in five to ten years. Machine learning algorithms can enter data faster and more accurately than humans,” said Imane Adel, executive vice president of strategy at Paymob. Forbes.
Thanks to machine learning algorithms, such as optical character recognition (OCR) technology, AI can now recognize printed or written text and convert it into digital data, reducing manual errors and saving valuable time.
4. Data Analysis
AI can quickly analyze large amounts of data and identify patterns and insights that people may misinterpret or miss completely, arguably leading to better decision making.
“Today we have an AI that can simply look through our data, analyze it, detect patterns and do some of the analysis for us. And so with all this, it can do basic financial accounting tasks,” Marr told Euronews Next.
5. Video editing
AI-powered editing tools can help those with no editing experience by automatically selecting and composing the best shots, adding transitions and adjusting audio levels.
It can also help with tasks such as image retouching, video stabilization, and color correction. AI tools can also generate previews, making it easier for users to visualize their final product.
The future of work in the age of AI
Thanks to its ability to easily automate repetitive tasks, AI could be the solution for longtime humans who are subjected to a system that pushes them to kill their creativity and focus on doing boring basic tasks.
“Hopefully in the long run, it [AI] can be a good thing because when you look at a lot of jobs, we’re wasting so much of our amazing human potential doing things that don’t really add much value,” Marr said.
“If we can give this to the machines and spend our time on the things that really add value as humans in terms of creativity, in terms of critical thinking, etc., that can only make the world a better place.”
According to Marr, the relationship between AI and humans should be more collaborative and similar to that of pilots and automated aircraft.
While an aircraft can fly independently using autopilot mode, a pilot is always needed on board in case of an emergency.
Human pilots can provide innovative and creative solutions driven by problem-solving thinking, which many robots are still a long way from achieving, and this applies to all areas of life that are vulnerable to automation.
Consequently, in the age of AI, the skills that really matter are the skills that make us human. From creativity to critical thinking, soft skills are expected to take the lead in becoming the most valuable and in-demand skills in the market.