SINGAPORE: Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a game-changer in the job market, where having AI skills can make or break your chances of landing a position.
According to recent findings, seven in ten companies are reluctant to hire individuals without AI skills.
Singapore Business Review reported that the “2024 Work Trends Index Annual Report,” a collaborative effort by Microsoft and LinkedIn, illuminates this shifting paradigm.
It suggests that companies clearly prefer hiring less experienced candidates equipped with AI know-how over seasoned professionals who lack such expertise.
What does this mean for job seekers? It’s a golden opportunity for those eyeing a career change and willing to invest in acquiring AI skills.
Microsoft and LinkedIn affirm that the demand for AI proficiency is rising, presenting a lucrative path for individuals ready to upskill in this domain.
According to the report, “2024 is the year of AI at work.” The surge in the use of generative AI tools, which nearly doubled within the last six months alone, underscores this statement.
The report also noted that LinkedIn has witnessed a significant uptick in professionals adding AI skills to their profiles.
Employers recognise how important AI is for hiring and running their businesses. 83% think their company needs to use AI to stay ahead.
Interestingly, employees do not wait for their employers to take charge. 84% of employees already leverage AI tools in their daily work routines.
Among these users are the so-called “power users” who frequently use AI’s capabilities to enhance their productivity.
They also proactively seek feedback from colleagues to refine their usage of AI prompts and explore diverse technology applications.
Additionally, power users are more open to training, with 12% seeking general advice, 33% concentrating on creating prompts, and 10% adapting AI to their job roles.
Mr Ahmed Mazhari, the president of Microsoft Asia, noted that “The pace of diffusion of generative AI tools at the workplace is remarkable.”
He added, “Employees are empowering themselves by adopting agile and innovative tools, oftentimes not pausing for the rollout of a coherent AI vision and roadmap from their organisations.”
He emphasises that leaders must have “more appetite” to embrace rapid experimentation to unlock the full potential of AI and drive productivity gains across industries. /TISG
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