Beginner’s guide to AI for work: What AI is and how to prepare for what’s next
Chances are, you use artificial intelligence (AI) every day. Think about the last time you did some online shopping, relied on email spam filters, clicked one of Google’s predictive searches, or opened an app with facial recognition. These are just a few examples of AI in everyday life.
Now, with new generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Bard, AI is once again changing life at home and work.
That’s why over 75% of businesses plan to adopt AI, big data, and cloud computing within the next five years. And it’s why AI and machine learning specialist is the fastest-growing role right now.
But how exactly will AI impact the workplace? And how can you stay ahead of the curve?
In this beginner’s guide, we’ll cover what you need to know about AI for work, including:
- What AI is and how it’s used
- Who’s using AI at work
- How AI is impacting major industries
- The best time to learn AI
- How to gain AI skills for work
What is artificial intelligence (AI)?
Talk of AI might bring to mind movies about robots becoming sentient and taking over the world. But the reality of AI is far less dramatic (and far less scary).
AI refers to machines doing work we usually associate with human minds, such as:
- Learning
- Logic
- Analysis
- Problem-solving
- Creativity
People have been experimenting with this idea since the 1950s. Over the last several decades, machines like calculators, computers, and (more recently) personal assistants like Siri and Alexa have helped make everyday life and work more efficient.
What is generative AI, and how does it currently impact life and work?
Now, we’re seeing a new type of machine learning — generative AI — explode in popularity. In November 2022, OpenAI released its generative AI model, ChatGPT. Within a year, it attracted over 180.5 million users.
But what exactly is generative AI, and why is it becoming a global sensation?
Generative AI is a machine’s ability to create content based on a prompt. Instead of simply analyzing information, tools like ChatGPT and Bard can recognize patterns and create unique content in the form of:
- Text
- Audio
- Video
- Images
- Code
- Virtual reality
Here’s how it works:
Generative AI models are trained with information from massive data sets (like books and online content). They also use human feedback to improve their responses and make them more useful.
When you type a prompt into a generative AI tool, it creates a response. You can use these tools to help with a wide range of tasks like:
- Research
- Generating ideas
- Appointment reminders
- Proofreading content like articles or essays
- Writing short copy like emails or social media posts
- Creating and optimizing code
- Practicing a new language
- Making grocery lists
These are just a few ways you could use generative AI in everyday life and work. The possibilities are nearly endless.
Will AI take over jobs?
As generative AI continues to improve and become more popular, it has the potential to change the way employees work significantly. In fact, thanks to generative AI, up to 30% of work hours are expected to be automated by 2030.
As a result, talk of job loss has spread like wildfire. As many as 77% of employees are worried that AI will take over jobs within a year.
But that’s not what we see happening.
AI may take over certain routine tasks, but we don’t think it will replace jobs. Instead, it’ll help people do their work even better.
New AI tools could make work simpler and easier. AI could even act as a personal assistant, freeing up employees’ time for more important tasks.
How will AI change how people work in different industries?
AI isn’t limited to one field. It’s transforming nearly every major industry, from healthcare to retail and beyond.
Here’s how:
AI has the potential to automate routine or manual tasks that take up hours of workers’ time. It can analyze large data sets, make personalized recommendations, and even predict trends — all in a matter of seconds.
Companies see these benefits and are starting to embrace AI quickly. Nearly 88% of organizations already use AI, and 60% are adopting AI tools “fast” or “very fast.”
Here are a few examples of how AI is expected to be used across major industries:
- Healthcare: Streamlining diagnostics, data analysis, paperwork, and basic customer service
- Retail: Predicting product demand and handling tasks like merchandising, stocking, and personalized recommendations
- Insurance: Dealing with claims, automating triage, and prompting customer service representatives with personalized questions
- Hospitality: Booking rooms and experiences, streamlining and analyzing customer feedback, and upselling with personalized recommendations
- Financial services: Handling loan applications, answering customer questions, onboarding new customers, and offering personalized financial advice
These new ways of using AI could give workers more time to spend on tasks involving:
- Customer interaction
- Strategic planning
- Creative problem solving
- High-level skills
When should I start learning AI skills?
Right now is the perfect time for all workers to learn AI skills. Doing so can help employees stay relevant in their industry and competitive in their roles.
AI skills training can help you stay relevant in your industry and competitive in your role.
How do we know this? AI is following a very predictable pattern for how new technology impacts the workforce.
It’s called the Gartner hype cycle.
The hype cycle can be broken down into five main phases. Here’s a brief look at how it works:
- Innovation: New technology triggers excitement across industries
- Window of opportunity: Companies and workers learn to use the technology and experiment with it
- Disillusionment: Some experiments fail, which dampens excitement
- Enlightenment: New ways of using the technology are created as employers start seeing good results
- Productivity: The new technology becomes mainstream, benefiting those who acted early
Right now, we’re in the window of opportunity for AI.
Employers who offer their employees AI training early will see greater productivity and potential growth.
The same is true for workers: Those who take advantage of AI training early can gain skills employers will find indispensable.
The best time to learn AI skills is yesterday. The next-best time is now.
Benefits of learning to use AI now:
- Understand how AI could impact your role and adapt more easily
- Make your work easier and faster with the right AI tools
- Gain a competitive edge when seeking a new role
- Learn skills that can apply to other roles and industries
How can I access AI training?
To help make AI training more accessible, Guild has added over 40 programs to its catalog.
These programs offer AI skills training for a wide range of roles — from frontline workers to executive leaders. You don’t need a bachelor’s degree for most of the programs, and some don’t require any prior educational experience.
Guild members with access to these programs can learn:
- AI basics: AI literacy, implications, and ethics
- AI usage: how to understand and use AI tools
- AI expertise: how to build and scale AI tools at work
- AI for leaders: how to create and implement strategies for AI usage at work
If you’re a Guild member, log into your account to explore AI programs and find one that matches your career goals.