Your future career could depend on how quickly you master AI skills – here’s how to get started

Artificial Intelligence (AI), once thought of as a speculative technology, is here to stay. AI is already taking nearly every industry by storm, and the technology is likely to become even more influential in the future. For some, the speed at which AI is transforming work is anxiety-inducing. Research by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development predicts automation technologies will eliminate up to 14% of the world’s job by 2045 and radically change an additional 32%, with AI driving a significant portion of this change. This transformation is likely to affect up to 1 billion people globally and could cause a foundational restructuring of work everywhere.  

But, where there is change, there is also opportunity. Since AI is still an emergent technology, professionals today are in a prime position to develop AI expertise that they can use to future-proof their careers and weather any impending changes. 

Pursuing a degree, certificate or upskilling opportunity that focuses on AI can help professionals prove their AI expertise to employers and collaborators, and it can give them hands-on experience using the technology. According to Fortune, 71% of employers would hire a professional who has AI experience over a professional who does not. The time to build that experience — and reap the advantages of it — is now.  

Why should I invest in my AI skills? 

In today’s fast-moving technology landscape, there are myriad more reasons to invest in learning about AI than there are reasons not to. This article will cover some of the most pressing cases for building AI literacy and some of the educational resources available at Purdue University for AI-curious learners.  

Being an effective AI collaborator can improve your career outcomes 

Today and in the future, professionals need to be able to collaborate with new technologies to improve their skills, adaptability and job security. Seeing AI as a partner, not a threat, can help professionals face AI-induced change with confidence, and it can empower them to grow with the new technology rather than against it.  

Research shows that professionals who collaborate with AI to complete work tasks have better work satisfaction and produce higher-quality work than their colleagues who do not work with AI. Collaborating with AI can also save professionals time by reducing the number of hours they spend doing repetitive, low-value tasks. In place of these tasks, professionals can focus more time on the work that humans are uniquely good at: creative thinking, critical analysis, strategizing, relationship-building and other high-value tasks.  

When humans and AI work together, the end results can be spectacular — from doctors using AI to help with early diagnosis of diseases to creatives using AI to free up time for art and writing. Ultimately, it’s likely AI will augment more careers than it will replace, and professionals who are able to skillfully collaborate with AI (while still using their unique talents and insights) will fare better in the job market than professionals who don’t know how to use AI.  

Purdue University’s online Master of Science in AI with a major in AI and Machine Learning is a good upskilling opportunity for students who want to be effective, knowledgeable AI collaborators capable of working with AI and influencing how AI works. This major gives students foundational skills in programming, statistics, computer science and mathematics so they can understand the algorithms and processes behind AI applications and influence the emergent technology as it continues to develop. By helping students understand the science behind AI, this major ensures that professionals will be at the forefront of the AI revolution.  

Being an AI expert can create new job opportunities  

Though much attention has been paid to the fields where AI is likely to replace jobs, less attention is paid to the number of jobs AI technologies are creating. For example, fields like data science, cybersecurity, and AI ethics and law are likely to create more jobs for AI-competent professionals over the next 10 years. Fields where soft skills are heavily-utilized, like communication, counseling and creative industries, are also likely to grow in the age of AI, since AI does not currently excel at those tasks. 

Professionals who can master AI technology and soft skills are likely to have good job security, even as the job market changes. These skills are highly transferable and can be utilized in almost every industry and field. Both soft skills and AI competency can be learned while professionals are already working through reskilling initiatives or pursuing new educational opportunities.   

For professionals who want to develop technical expertise in AI, Purdue University’s Master of Science in AI with a major in AI and Machine Learning provides a foundation for understanding how AI works, and it prepares students to work in high-growth industries like data science, software development, machine learning engineering, data analysis, language processing engineering, robotics engineering, UX/UI design, network architecture and more.  

For professionals who want to develop their technical skills and leadership acumen, Purdue University’s Master of Science in AI with a major in AI Management and Policy provides valuable training in leadership, management, policy and ethics that can help professionals navigate technological changes with confidence and empathy. Focused on AI but with an emphasis on interdisciplinary skills, the major gives professionals the opportunity to practice high-value tasks like problem solving, relationship-building and communication within an AI context. 

Understanding AI ethics might be key to solving future problems 

As AI is utilized more and more, understanding AI ethics will become increasingly important. There are many ethical issues that AI raises — everything from copyright laws to AI’s environmental impact. Though AI is a powerful technology that can be used for good, it’s equally as important to understand its negative consequences and how the technology might be misused.  

In the future, AI will likely be implicated in all kinds of global issues. Lawyers, environmental scientists, human rights activists, politicians and communicators will all have to develop an understanding of AI to address future challenges — whether it’s how to reduce global emissions or combat the human biases that are often coded into AI by imperfect training. For this reason, AI ethics is an immensely important topic that should be considered essential education for anyone interested in law, privacy, communication, human rights, health, climate change and other fields that are grappling with the effects of AI.  

Purdue University’s Master of Science in AI with a major in AI Management and Policy prepares students to lead in the AI ethics space. Through hands-on, interdisciplinary learning, students develop skills that can be applied to a wide range of job roles and industries like information technology (IT), business, product management, finance, cybersecurity, consulting, research, administration, law and education. Students in the master’s program’s AI and Machine Learning major also take courses on AI ethics and the societal implications of AI. Through emphasizing AI ethics across majors and giving students the opportunity to complete a multidisciplinary capstone project, the master’s program ensures AI ethics are central to both the development and application of AI tools. 

Build Marketable AI Skills with Purdue University 

Purdue University’s online Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence gives professionals the opportunity to hone both technical and soft skills through its majors in AI and Machine Learning and AI Management and Policy. Whether you’re interested in influencing how AI applications are built or deciding how AI will be utilized to solve global issues, Purdue’s AI master’s can help you build the skills you need to future-proof your career, all while studying 100% online. Learn more at the program’s website.