How Gen AI is reshaping demand for IT skills and talent

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to streamline operations, enhance customer engagement, and increase overall efficiency. As GenAI continues to evolve, the demand for IT skills and talent is also changing because of the need for expertise in AI development, integration, and governance to harness its potential effectively. Here, we look at some aspects of gen AI and its impact on the emerging tech skills.

Emerging Potential of Gen AI 
GenAI, has the potential to enhance collaboration between IT and various business functions within an organization. This collaboration can be facilitated through essential mechanisms, such as using GenAI for proof of concept. IT teams can swiftly create prototypes, mock-ups, or initial models for new products with generative AI tools. GenAI also acts as a co-design facilitator, improving cross-functional team collaboration. It can uncover trends, anomalies, or predictive models from data, leading to data-driven strategies, streamlining data consolidation, and automating data cleansing. GenAI's NLP capabilities extract insights from customer reviews, social media, and text data, and it can augment infrastructure, cybersecurity, and administration.

Applications of GenAI and Changing Demand 
As companies increasingly adopt Generative AI (GenAI) technology, there is a significant shift in the demand for skills, requiring individuals to upskill to keep pace with these changes. Gen AI is transforming the coding landscape by automating code generation and testing processes, leading to improved developer productivity. Software developers can complete coding tasks up to twice as fast with the help of Gen AI.
Today, more and more companies are focused on building software leveraging Gen AI technology, leading to groundbreaking advancements in medical diagnostics, predicting financial market trends, personalizing shopping experiences etc.

This shift in demand for professionals trained in GenAI related technologies is evident across industries. However, finding candidates with these skills can be challenging. IT professionals need to upskill to align with the requirements of GenAI and take advantage of the opportunities presented by it. 

Talent Demand and Supply Dynamics
Gen AI is opening up new career paths in the IT sector. Some of these roles include prompt engineers, ethical AI specialists, and AI integration specialists. These roles require a combination of technical and creative skills, making them ideal for individuals who are interested in both areas.

According to a recent report, the top 10 Generative AI-related skills listed in Upwork job seeker profiles with the largest quarter-over-quarter growth (Q2 2023 vs Q1 2023) were- Large Language Model (LLM), Generative AI, YOLO, Object Detection, Stable Diffusion, Prompt Engineering, ChatGPT, Azure OpenAI, AI Chatbot, and AI Text-to-Speech.

Whereas the top 10 generative AI-related hires were, ChatGPT, Natural Language Processing (NLP), Tensorflow, Image Processing, Pytorch, AI Content Creation, Midjourney, AI Chatbot, LLM tuning, and Stable Diffusion. Skills like - Python, Data Science, AI/MLOps, RPA, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, NLP, Big Data and distributed computing will remain in demand. The shift also underscores the ever-evolving nature of the IT industry, where adapting to emerging technologies like GenAI is not just an option but a necessity for career growth and industry relevance.

Gen AI Reshaping the IT Skills Landscape
Familiarity with Gen AI is emerging as a valuable skill for technical roles such as software development, engineering, and data science. Few emerging trends in skills and talent demand are-
- Proficiency in machine learning, deep learning, and neural networks for creating and training GenAI models.
- To derive insights from the vast amounts of data, GenAI requires vital skills in data preparation, analysis, and visualization.
- Skills in integrating AI solutions into existing systems and workflows for seamless operations.
- Natural Language Processing (NLP) expertise in working with text and language-based Gen AI applications.
- AI Security to protect AI systems from vulnerabilities and cyber threats requires specialized knowledge.

As Gen AI continues to advance, IT professionals with expertise in these areas will be in high demand and will play a key role in driving innovation and efficiency in businesses across industries.

Addressing Ethical Concerns and Preparing for a Gen AI-powered Future
GenAI in IT also raises ethical concerns, it requires a comprehensive approach that considers these ethical considerations and a commitment to responsible AI. There is a potential for biases present in AI-generated content. Companies should ensure that GenAI is used to augment, not replace, humans or processes to ensure that content meets ethical expectations and supports brand values. 

GenAI can also create content that infringes on copyright or other legal rights. Companies should ensure that they have the right to use the data and content that GenAI is trained on. Businesses also need a clearly defined strategy and good governance to ensure responsible AI. 
We can prepare for a future where Gen AI is a significant player by focusing on continuous learning and adaptability.

It is essential to stay updated with the latest GenAI advancements and acquire relevant skills. However, it is also essential to address the ethical concerns arising from the use of Gen AI in IT and develop responsible AI development and ethical guidelines.

(The author, Vinay Verma, Senior Vice President and Global Head, Talent Engine, Ascendion)

Vinay Verma