The rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the landscape of IT professions, with some experts predicting that automation could lead to the loss of about 17% of IT jobs. However, rather than being a cause for concern, many technology leaders see this shift as an opportunity for IT professionals to evolve and adapt to new roles.
Five business leaders share their insights on how IT professionals can prepare for the transformation in responsibilities:
1. **Develop a good grounding**: Nigel Richardson, SVP & CIO Europe at PepsiCo, emphasizes the importance of having a strong foundation in compute, algorithms, and data. While AI may streamline certain aspects of development work, IT professionals should focus on mastering these core areas to stay relevant in the evolving tech landscape.
2. **Aim to become a generalist**: Nic Granger, director of corporate and CFO at North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA), suggests that IT professionals should avoid pigeonholing themselves into a specific skill set. Instead, being adaptable and open to learning new technologies will be key to future career opportunities.
3. **Augment your human skills**: Caroline Carruthers, CEO at consultancy Carruthers and Jackson, views AI as augmented intelligence rather than artificial intelligence. She encourages IT professionals to embrace AI as a tool to enhance their problem-solving abilities and focus on more challenging tasks.
4. **Focus on value-generating areas**: Craig Donald, CIO at The Football Association (FA), highlights the importance of using AI to automate routine tasks, allowing IT professionals to concentrate on projects that deliver value to customers. By leveraging AI for tasks like unit testing, teams can streamline processes and focus on innovation.
5. **Hone your prompt engineering skills**: Andy Moore, chief data officer (CDO) at Bentley Motors, stresses the significance of prompt engineering skills in the era of generative AI. As AI tools like Copilot become more prevalent in the development process, IT professionals with strong writing skills will be in high demand to create effective prompts for AI systems.
As the tech industry continues to evolve, IT professionals must adapt and upskill to thrive in a world where AI plays an increasingly prominent role. By following these tips from industry leaders, IT professionals can position themselves for success in the changing landscape of technology.