The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) is fundamentally altering various employment paradigms, including the tech industry. This shift is highlighted by insights from Matthew Candy, IBM’s global managing partner for generative AI, in a recent interview with Fortune. Candy emphasized the diminishing necessity of a computer science degree for tech employment, thanks to the capabilities of AI.
According to Candy, AI is paving the way for anyone with an idea to create products, bypassing the need for traditional coding skills. “The speed at which people will be able to come up with an idea, to test the idea, to make something, it’s going to be so accelerated,” he explained. “You don’t need to have a degree in computer science to do that.”
Candy further noted that in this new AI-driven era, soft skills like creativity and innovation will become more valuable than technical expertise. “Questioning, creativity skills, and innovation are going to be hugely important because I think AI’s going to free up more capacity for creative thought processes,” he stated. This shift isn’t confined to the tech sector alone. Candy pointed out that AI’s impact extends to the arts, where AI image-generation technology could redefine roles. “You’re going to be able to take on the role of a designer. You don’t need to be a graphic designer and have an art degree to do these things,” he remarked.
However, this optimistic view of AI’s integration into the workforce is not universally shared. A report by edtech startup Hero Vired revealed that 82% of professionals fear job redundancy due to AI advancements. In a related development, IBM itself, under CEO Arvind Krishna, considered halting hiring for positions that AI could potentially fulfill. In a Bloomberg interview, Krishna projected that AI could replace 30% of the company’s back-office roles over five years, affecting over 7,800 positions. This statement underscores the transformative yet challenging implications of AI on employment across various sectors.
Featured image: Matthew Candy. Credit: about.me
