Leveraging AI capabilities amidst turmoil in the job market
Given the rapid pace of artificial intelligence (AI) news, it’s no surprise that six in 10 Americans believe AI will significantly impact the workforce.
According to a report released by the US White House, AI has the potential to increase productivity, efficiency and innovation. Likewise, it can potentially displace employees who need help adapting to AI tools and skills.
An OpenAI study has shown which types of professions could be most affected by large language models (LLMs). Mathematicians, analysts, researchers, and writers could use GPT to reduce the time spent on tasks.
AI alone cannot take over most jobs. But the people who use AI properly will adopt it when others can no longer meet the new quotas and productivity expectations.
Retraining employees to fill AI roles
A McKinsey survey of organizations worldwide found that nearly half are reskilling internal resources to fill AI-related roles, in addition to sourcing talent from tech companies and universities.
Organizations that have chosen to reskill employees have used a variety of training avenues, including online courses and self-paced certifications.
It makes sense considering employees know what their organization needs to be successful. AI enables employees who are willing to learn to increase their productivity and creative output and become a valuable asset for their company.
Continued layoffs in Tech
Of course, not all companies will retrain employees for new opportunities. We’ve seen tech companies lay off hundreds to thousands of employees since early 2023. And the layoffs aren’t over yet.
Meta recently launched another round of layoffs in its quest for efficiency.
According to reports from the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) in the United States, many large companies in the technology industry and beyond are planning further layoffs. US employees can search Google for WARNs in their employer’s state.
Increasing vacancies Seek talent with AI skills
For those looking for a job in tech, Stanford revealed in its AI Index report that the US, Canada, and Spain have the highest percentage of AI job postings.
John Mueller gave advice to those looking for a job in engineering: “…my recommendation would be to take the time to bring your skills and knowledge to a high level and then seriously consider a job make every effort once things recover.”
Comprehensive AI courses to improve your skills
Find online AI and machine learning courses and certifications from tech companies and universities to add to your resume.
LinkedIn AI and Machine Courses
LinkedIn Learning has made 100 AI and machine learning courses free through June 15, 2023. Topics covered include generative AI, fundamentals of AI and machine learning, responsible AI, advanced AI, and applied AI.
Specialization IBM AI Foundations For Everyone
This introductory AI course is for everyone, including those without a technical or programming background.
The specialization consists of three courses on AI usage and applications, using IBM Watson and building AI chatbots.
IBM also offers AI Foundations for Business Specialization and professional certifications in applied AI, AI engineering and machine learning.
Some courses are offered through Coursera. Coursera offers a seven-day free trial, after which it’s $39 per month to continue with a single course.
If you find additional courses on Coursera, you can subscribe to their premium service, which includes unlimited access to thousands of courses and certifications for $59 per month.
Additional prerequisites, requirements, and fees may apply to courses that offer certifications or college credit.
Google Machine Learning Crash Course
If you want a quick dive into machine learning fundamentals, try this free Machine Learning Crash Course. It includes video lessons, case studies, and hands-on labs using TensorFlow APIs, an open-source platform for developing and training machine learning models.
Google AI offers other courses on various aspects of machine learning.
If you are interested in a career as a data scientist or machine learning engineer, Google Cloud offers courses for a Professional Machine Learning Engineer certification.
Google Advanced Data Analytics Professional Certificate
Recently launched on Keyword Blog, the Google Advanced Data Analytics Professional Certificate is a self-paced course that prepares data analysts and scientists to use regression and machine learning models to collect and analyze data.
It may take approximately ten hours per week for three to six months to complete the course and earn a shareable certificate.
Microsoft Azure data and AI certifications
Microsoft offers multiple certifications for data analysts, developers, and engineers using AI and Microsoft Azure.
They also offer autonomous AI for industry specialization with the University of Washington.
Arizona State University MasterTrack® Certification in AI and Machine Learning
If you already have a bachelor’s degree, you can complete three courses in approximately six to nine months to earn a certificate in AI and machine learning.
You can choose from four courses on statistical machine learning, artificial intelligence, knowledge representation and reasoning, and an introduction to deep learning.
The certificate program costs a total of $4,500 or $1,500 per course.
If you meet certain ASU requirements, these credits apply to an online Master of Computer Science program.
Stanford Professional Program for Artificial Intelligence
Stanford’s AI Professional Program enables professionals to immerse themselves in graduate level AI and machine learning courses.
The program consists of seven courses. Each course costs $1,750 and lasts 10-15 hours per week for ten weeks.
Continuing education
With the rapid pace of developments in the fields of AI and machine learning, anyone interested in this field should keep up to date with the latest AI and machine learning news relevant to their industry.
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