9 Crucial AI Jobs Skills for Modern Businesses

I’ve just onboarded my newest hire, Camila, who brings fresh AI jobs skills to my team as a bright and enthusiastic recent graduate with a passion for new technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning.

As a hiring manager, I’m excited to bring fresh talent to my team, but there’s a slight catch: I’m not well-versed in the world of AI myself. Like many people, I’ve played around with the new generative AI models like ChatGPT. Beyond that, however, I’m in uncharted territory. I realize that nurturing and upskilling Camila’s AI jobs skills might be challenging but essential to retain her as a valued employee.

Whether I think it’s overhyped or heralds the end of work as we know it, there’s no doubt AI is already changing roles and practices beyond all recognition. This means I need to stay on top of ever-evolving AI jobs skills requirements to attract and retain talent with AI skills.

In this post, I’ll look at why it’s important to get ahead of the AI curve in talent acquisition, including how it can impact business performance. Then I’ll examine the AI jobs skills I need to hire for to stay business competitive and attract top talent. I’ll also discuss how to use skills-based hiring to identify the best candidates with these skills and develop them internally, ensuring they can contribute effectively to our team’s success with their AI jobs skills.

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Why You Need to Get Ahead of the AI Curve Now

McKinsey states that tasks accounting for up to 30% of hours currently worked in the US could be automated by 2030. This means that more people are shifting into higher-level, skills-based roles: It’s estimated that 12 million AI-related occupational shifts will occur in the US by 2030. To stay ahead of the curve, it’s essential to hire for and develop AI skills to close potential digital skills gaps.

This lets me develop an agile team while increasing retention rates. Retention becomes especially important given that more employees will be looking for companies that offer upskilling and growth opportunities. By preparing employees for the future of work, I can provide improved job security and, therefore, win employee loyalty in an increasingly competitive landscape.

The Industries That Will Be Most Radically Changed by AI

The roles and industries negatively impacted by automation and AI include food services, customer service and sales, production work, and office support. By contrast, roles on the rise because of AI include science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) professionals. For example, computer programmers and analysts, business and legal professionals, and health and wellness workers. It’s also projected that demand will grow for skilled professionals in green and sustainable energy, transportation services, and healthcare. As more people leave lower-wage jobs, the economy may readjust as more skilled, higher-paying jobs are created. However, this means people will need additional AI jobs skills to successfully make that transition.

How AI Impacts Business Performance

AI has swiftly transitioned from being a novelty to a necessity for various aspects of modern work. This shift has created an unprecedented demand for employees equipped with AI jobs skills across various tasks. This is because AI saves time, regardless of the task. For example, optimizing supply chain management, enhancing customer experiences through predictive analytics, automating routine tasks, or improving decision-making processes. This has a positive impact on business performance by allowing you to move faster. It also frees humans up to do more of the high-value work they excel at. For example, when you use AI to identify the most valuable prospects on cold emailing lists, salespeople can spend more time crafting engaging emails.

How HR Teams Can Prepare for the AI Revolution

As an HR professional, I should start by gaining a fundamental understanding of AI concepts, which will enable me to talk to tech-savvy talent like Camila on her level. This can also lead to more informed decision-making regarding AI-driven tools. For example, if I’m deciding which generative AI tool to sign up for, it helps to know their capabilities and limitations.

Additionally, HR teams should focus on upskilling and reskilling employees, identifying skill gaps, and creating opportunities for employees to acquire AI-related and other digital skills. McKinsey predicts that employers and HR teams will need to hire for skills rather than credentials. They’ll also need to recruit from overlooked talent pools like people with disabilities and workers skilled by alternative routes (STARs). Once onboarded, I’ll need to deliver training that keeps pace with employee’s changing needs.

9 AI Skills You Should Start Hiring for Now

To win the war for talent and harness the transformative power of AI, I need to hire people with the right skills. Since these are changing all the time, I need to know which AI jobs skills to prioritize when hiring. Let’s take a look at the nine AI skills that should be on my radar, and why they’re the building blocks for a future-proof workforce.

1. Data Literacy

Data literate individuals can spot data quality issues and interpret the results of AI models to understand their implications. This might include differentiating between various types of data, collecting and preparing it, or analyzing and visualizing it. Employees with strong data literacy skills can make better decisions. They can also build more effective AI models and gather accurate insights from data to drive business success.

2. Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking

In AI algorithm development, employees need to identify complex problems and devise innovative solutions. This includes selecting the right algorithms, optimizing them, and troubleshooting issues that arise during development. To do this, they’ll need soft skills like problem-solving and critical thinking. Problem-solving skills come into play when addressing data quality issues or missing data points. Critical thinking helps employees analyze data patterns, recognize anomalies, and draw meaningful conclusions.

3. Prompt Engineering

Prompt engineering allows AI practitioners to have better control over the output of AI models like ChatGPT. By carefully crafting prompts, you can guide it to produce more specific responses. This is crucial in applications like marketing where output needs to align with specific requirements like brand voice, etc. Employees who excel in prompt engineering can fine-tune prompts to generate more accurate and contextually relevant responses. This saves time and makes AI even more useful.

4. Data Handling

Knowing how to handle data is a fundamental AI skill when developing and deploying AI systems. For instance, data cleaning and preprocessing are needed to prepare text data for inputting into AI models. This can enhance the AI’s performance and relevance to your company’s needs. Employees with strong data handling skills can ensure that the data used to train AI models is high quality. This reduces the risk of errors or biases in the models and, therefore, outcomes.

5. Fact-Checking

Knowing how to handle data involves the ability to check its accuracy. Fact-checking helps make sure AI-driven content or recommendations are based on accurate and up-to-date information. This is essential to maintain credibility for businesses that use AI to generate content or make decisions. Sites like Upwork and Fiverr are awash with offers for skilled fact-checkers and demand is only likely to grow. Employees with strong fact-checking skills contribute to the integrity and trustworthiness of AI systems and their outputs. This helps your organization make more informed decisions.

6. Knowledge of API Integration

To incorporate AI capabilities into your existing apps or processes, you often need to use application programming interfaces (APIs), such as the one provided by OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT into business tools. Employees skilled in API integration can connect AI systems to a wide range of data sources, including databases, web services, and cloud platforms. This makes it easier to design AI-optimized workflows and streamline existing processes. Skilled talent can also facilitate data retrieval, which is crucial for training AI models and making data-driven decisions.

7. Communication Skills

Knowing how to handle AI data is one thing, but you also need to know how to translate AI findings so the complexity and tone is suitable for the intended audience. It’s crucial to hire talent with strong communication skills to convey AI-related insights to clients, stakeholders, and cross-functional teams. To do this, they’ll need to be skilled at conveying complex ideas in simple, easy-to-understand terms.

8. Continuous Learning

AI changes fast, so employees need to be adaptable and have a growth mindset to stay ahead. Understanding employee motivation and personality type can help you recruit talent that’s eager to actively seek opportunities to learn and grow. This will ensure they can leverage the full potential of current and future AI tools.

9. Working with Generative AI

Generative predictive text (GPT) AI models can create text, images, and music, among other applications. Employees can leverage this as a starting point for more complex creative work. For example, by creating content that speaks to a specific audience while ensuring high quality.

How to Hire for and Develop AI Skills

Below, you’ll learn how to hire for and develop AI skills in your workforce, including key talent assessments you can use to hire and upskill the right people.

Use Skills-Based Hiring to Identify and Test for Skills

Skills-based hiring lets you assess candidates’ AI jobs skills, including hard, soft, and transferable abilities, giving you a clearer picture of their potential to excel in the role. “Instead of focusing on specific experience in AI, which is currently a rapidly evolving field with few established benchmarks, HR teams should prioritize identifying transferable AI jobs skills in candidates. Given the limited availability of formal certifications and standards, evaluating a candidate’s potential in AI jobs skills becomes more crucial than simply ticking off a checklist of experience.”

AI Jobs Skills: Best Tips for Success

When it comes to developing and honing AI jobs skills, it’s crucial to stay ahead of the curve and continuously adapt to the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence. Here are some best tips to help you succeed in building a workforce equipped with the necessary AI skills:

Embrace Continuous Learning: The field of AI is constantly changing, with new advancements and technologies emerging regularly. Encourage a culture of continuous learning and curiosity within your team. Provide access to online courses, workshops, and seminars that focus on the latest AI developments.

Focus on Practical Applications: While theoretical knowledge is important, practical experience is invaluable. Encourage hands-on projects that allow your team to apply their AI skills in real-world scenarios. This will not only improve their proficiency but also boost their confidence in using AI tools and techniques.
Cultivate a Diverse Skill Set: AI jobs skills are not limited to technical abilities alone. Soft skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and effective communication are equally important. Ensure that your team members are well-rounded and possess a balance of technical and soft skills.
Leverage Online Resources: There is a wealth of online resources available for learning AI, from tutorials and forums to online courses offered by universities and platforms like Coursera and Udacity. Encourage your team to take advantage of these resources to stay updated on AI trends and best practices.

Collaborate and Network: Encourage collaboration within your team and with external AI communities. Networking with other AI professionals can provide valuable insights, new perspectives, and opportunities for knowledge exchange.
Promote Ethical AI Practices: As AI becomes more integrated into various aspects of business and society, ethical considerations are paramount. Ensure that your team is aware of the ethical implications of AI and is committed to developing and using AI technologies responsibly.
Invest in AI Tools and Technologies: Provide your team with access to the latest AI tools and technologies. This will enable them to experiment, innovate, and stay at the forefront of AI advancements.

Set Clear Objectives: Define clear objectives and goals for your AI initiatives. This will help your team stay focused and aligned with the overall business strategy.

By following these tips, you can ensure that your team is equipped with the AI jobs skills necessary to thrive in today’s competitive business environment.