The massive growth of AI has led to concerns that the technology may come at the cost of displacing the human workforce. According to a research paper from Stanford University, occupations such as power plant operators, chemical engineers, and optometrists are expected to be most affected by the advent of AI. However, the reality is far more nuanced, as AI frees up the human workforce to do more value driven work. Here are just a few examples of careers that will be essential in the age of AI.
Healthcare Practitioners
While AI takes over prognosis, treatment, and monitoring activities, interpersonal activities involving caring for patients and providing a human touch remains solely with the people themselves. This is why digitally literate and empathetic healthcare aides are likely to be sought after for jobs in the healthcare industry.
Social Media and Marketing Managers
With over two billion active users in a month, social media is a green pasture for companies to connect with their customers. Social media managers have the key role of developing strategies to establish a favorable brand image. Their skills involve using AI to analyze users and personalize communications with them to maintain a positive impact.
AI Psychologists and Ethicists
As self-learning AI applications deeply penetrate organizational functions and human lives, the need to monitor their ethical and social boundaries becomes greater. Engineers with an understanding of psychology and ethics will be tasked with creating AI frameworks that are aligned to the code of ethics and the company’s visions and standards. While AI ethicists will be instrumental in ensuring that the machines uphold these guidelines, AI psychologists will be responsible for maintaining the self-learning systems’ “psychological and emotional” well-being.
Data Scientists
While the right data can fuel AI systems and create new opportunities for companies, the wrong ones can bring them down with faulty predictions and errors in revenue projections. The role of data scientists, therefore, becomes significant as their skills involve identifying relevant data sets, designing appropriate algorithms, and applying the programs to gain meaningful insights.
Cybersecurity Specialists
With 5,183 data breaches recorded in just the first nine months of 2019, cybersecurity has become a major pain point for companies. Engineers specializing in vulnerability assessment, network security, and encryption technologies are increasingly in demand across various industries. Cybersecurity specialists will be responsible for protecting sensitive corporate data, training employees to prevent insider threats, closing security gaps, and proactively guarding systems against hackers.
