Skills to cultivate in the age of AI

Since its emergence, Artificial Intelligence, or AI, as we popularly know it, has been riding the revolutionary wave all across the globe. Its impact can particularly be felt in various industrial sectors – healthcare, software, digital marketing, and e-commerce – to name a few. The technology has been able to bring in mass automation, thereby improving productivity and efficiency in various work arenas. By creating personalized shopping experiences, AI has even succeeded in creating a never-before shopping feel for customers around the world. 

It is only natural to feel threatened whether AI will soon take over each industry and its workers will be rendered jobless. The reality is thankfully not so grim as yet. The new technology can still not replace the value of a human mind nurtured by education. A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree still holds relevance in today’s competitive world and AI cannot replicate the human skills that these courses impart. 

This blog highlights the current relevance and importance of pursuing an online BA/MA degree and how these degrees can equip us with the skills required in an AI-led world. 

Industries that are AI-proof

We know that AI has successfully brought massive change in various sectors and industries, some of which we pointed out at the beginning of this blog. AI algorithms can analyze data and even provide suggestions to make optimum use of available resources in a business. This helps prevent large-scale wastage and avoid grave errors. 

That said, can AI take over every industry in the world? Does technology have the potential to completely replace human effort which has always been regarded as valuable and irreplaceable by businesses worldwide?

The answer is no, it cannot. AI technology is still far from replicating human effort or completely displacing it. Certain industries remain “AI-proof”, as we put it, untouched by the storm that the technology is creating across the globe. Let’s take a look at some of these industries in this section. 

1. Creative Jobs: Creating a piece of art, music, or writing a story – they still require the emotion, empathy, and imagination of a human mind to create a breathtaking effect on the audience. It is difficult for AI technology to replicate the same originality and impact.

2. Teaching: E-learning may have become the new reality in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic; however, it still cannot replace the place of a teacher in a real classroom. The ambiance, the learning, and the one-on-one interaction between the teacher and the student in a physical school are far different from what technology can ever create. Not to forget, the motivation teachers provide to their students cannot be done by any technology.

3. Skilled Jobs: Can you imagine AI technology fixing a bulb or tap in your house? Even today, an electrician or plumber is the first person that comes to mind when there is a repair in the house that needs immediate attention. These professionals are skilled in their trade and have the required technical knowledge and attention to detail, something AI cannot match up to.

4. Nursing: This very profession has empathy at its core – which AI cannot possibly simulate. Nurses care for their patients and empathize with their pain. Besides, there is no scope for automation in this industry since nurses have specialized medical knowledge and need to make complex decisions for the patient’s overall health, which technology cannot automate and simplify.

5. Social Work: This is another industry that stays AI-proof in today’s times primarily because it thrives on human connection and emotional intelligence – a competence that AI will find difficult to imitate or replace. 

Skills you need to learn in an AI-led world

Now that we know which industries are likely to remain untouched by AI, let us look at some of the critical skills we can develop that can be immensely useful in resisting the effect of technology, especially in a world led by AI.

Skill parameters	How they can help compete with AI
Active Learning	Make sure that you are always learning and up-to-date with the recent developments in AI, ML, and other latest technologies. Continuous learning helps you stay on top of the game at all times.
Strong Verbal & Written Communication	Interpersonal skills are one area where AI lacks the intelligence to compete with. The technology does not have the Emotional Quotient (EQ) or social skills that humans possess.
Creativity	AI can help generate innovative ideas but the creativity involved in expressing them in a manner that strikes a chord with your audience is not something that the technology can simulate.
People Management	Developing people management skills can be beneficial as you cannot only understand your clients’ exact requirements through human interaction but also address their complaints and grievances effectively by offering empathy and personalized service. All this is not possible for AI to replicate.
Decision-making	Effective communication can help in this process and also enable a person to understand concerns from the other side before arriving at a crucial decision. Humans, and not AI technology, can do this task best.
Leadership skills	A good leader can understand their team well, motivate them, assess risks, and communicate to achieve common goals. All of these are not possible with the AI technology.

Conclusion  

Now, we know that AI is not capable of taking over the industries that have been run by humans for ages. Human effort is not entirely replaceable. The human mind still holds value and potential over that of Artificial Intelligence. Learning and using certain skills can help nourish the human mind more. This is why Sikkim Manipal University (SMU) offers a host of undergraduate and postgraduate study programs through their online BA and online MA degrees. These courses are imparted on the Online Manipal platform to students sitting in the comfort of their homes. 

Online BA or MA programs from Sikkim Manipal University are designed to equip students with the desired creative skills to help foster their imagination and innovation to compete with the AI era. All degrees from Sikkim Manipal University are UGC-entitled and equivalent to a campus degree. The university is also accredited by NAAC and its degrees hold recognition and relevance all over India.