3 In-Demand, High-Income AI Skills You Need In 2024
It’s a shocking reality that only a relatively small number of professionals are equipped with AI … [+]
If you thought that ChatGPT’s millions of users indicated that the workforce has fully transitioned to using AI, then you’re in for a shocking revelation:
Almost the entire global workforce is not using AI (artificial intelligence) in their workplaces, or do not fully understand its benefits for their work processes, according to findings from The Workforce Index, a fresh study released by Slack. The study revealed that approximately two-thirds of workers have not used AI tools at work, while more than 90% do not consider AI to be trustworthy for completion of their work projects.
This spells out a major problem: many employers and executives recognize the urgency of the need for an AI-boosted workforce, and they understand just how beneficial and integral this technology is to employee wellbeing, boosted job satisfaction, the creation of new jobs, and improved business outcomes.
In fact, “executive urgency to incorporate AI tools into business operations has increased seven times over the past six months and is now a top concern, above inflation or the broader economy,” says the study.
However, most employees still do not have AI skills.
So if there are hardly enough employees to match the demand, the jobs will only go to the few professionals who have the skills and can prove it, meaning that you, like several other hopeful job candidates, could be writing yourself out of lucrative career opportunities without even realizing it—if you don’t have the needed AI skills.
PwC released some striking data on AI and its effect on the expanding workforce of 2024, in its Global AI Jobs Barometer report. “Postings for AI jobs are growing 3.5x faster than for all jobs. For every AI job posting in 2012, there are now seven job postings,” it said. “Jobs that require AI skills carry up to a 25% wage premium in some markets.”
Furthermore, and perhaps most importantly, the report highlighted that the “skills sought by employers are changing at a 25% higher rate in occupations most exposed to AI.” (By “exposed,” it is referring to jobs which can easily be augmented with AI tools.) “To stay relevant in these occupations, workers will need to demonstrate or acquire new skills,” PwC continued.
This means that the job market—and the skills necessary to fuel it—is changing rapidly, and you could find yourself laid off, and even worse, permanently unemployed if you don’t learn AI skills.
Additionally, AI skills can also boost your salary potential. Since they are rare due to the current skills gap, there is strong demand for professionals who are AI-savvy.
This all indicates that artificial intelligence is not a technical skill reserved solely for those in technical occupations. Non-tech professionals who wish to maintain a competitive edge in the workforce would do well to polish their skillset in 2024 through undertaking training in one or more of the below popular AI skills:
1. Prompt Engineering
Prompt engineering is one of the most basic and in-demand skills anyone who uses generative AI technology should master, to be effective at work. Prompt engineering is the process of guiding generative artificial intelligence (generative AI) solutions to generate desired outputs, using detailed instructions to create high-quality and relevant output, according to Amazon Web Services.
“I cannot stress this enough: prompt engineering is a gateway skill that you can use almost anywhere. It’s a skill that can open the door to so many opportunities.” Lydia Logan, IBM’s vice president of global education and workforce development told CNBC Make It.
Per Indeed, adding generative AI skills such as prompt engineering to your skill set can boost your salary by as much as 47%, making it the highest-paying tech skill on the market right now, while the same PwC report noted that “jobs that require AI skills carry up to a 25% wage premium in some markets.”
AI skills can supercharge your income by as much as 47%
2. Data Analysis
Organizations generally use data to make their most important—and day-to-day decisions. But since the AI boom, data has become even more of a hot topic. Executives want to implement and integrate AI into workflows, and AI is hungry for data. Hence, data analysts and those with data skills to manage large data sets can realistically expect to make upwards of $110,000, according to salary research sites such as Salary.com.
3. Continuous Learning
Believe it or not, showing that you are flexible to change and willing to learn—through your track record of learning—is of higher value to employers than you realize. Gaining certifications not only help employers take you more seriously by proving that you have technical knowhow and expertise, but they also accomplish something vastly more important: they evidence to employers that you are dedicated to growing as a professional, that you are happy to evolve with the times, and that you are eager to learn.
Prompt engineering is in high demand and can set you apart as a stellar candidate
For example, Aaron Sines, director of talent, AI and machine learning, at Razoroo, told The Muse that an eagerness to learn is the biggest soft skill he looks for when hiring for roles in AI, GenAI, or related fields.
This year, devote your time to mastering these three areas: generative AI and prompt engineering, data, and your appetite for learning.
Your efforts will not go to waste.
