Artificial intelligence used to be one of the most talked about buzzwords in the technology world, but now it’s quickly become more of a reality than fantasy. As AI centers on machines gaining certain degrees of intelligence, this may harken back to memories of Terminator movies or robots overtaking the earth, but this is certainly not the case. From computers beating the world chess champion to smartphone voice commands, AI is a lot more expansive and common than people previously thought.
With that being said, there is also a lot of discussion today centered on how robots and technology will eventually take over jobs from human beings. The reality is that AI is not eliminating jobs for people; it’s just changing the nature of their roles. Moving forward, it’s going to become increasingly common for employers to seek IT pros who have backgrounds in business management, as they require less technical skills and more analytical and strategic ones. The University of Alabama at Birmingham’s online Bachelor of Science in Information Systems degree is part of the Collat School of Business, with curriculum spanning information systems and business skills.
It would be redundant to assume that IT operations will face new challenges in the next few years due to the rise of AI because their core job responsibilities are to meet new difficulties head on. Yet, as the very nature of IT and many other industries are drastically changing due to AI and other technology, many organizations are encouraging their IT professionals to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and developments.
AI helps fill in the gaps in IT
In the IT industry, one of the most substantial issues teams face is being able to locate small, but potentially harmful, problems or errors in large swaths of big data. As the colloquial phrase goes, it’s like attempting to find a needle in a very large haystack. Through combining big data, AI along with the special human touch, IT operations may become more dynamic, agile and efficient than ever before.
With big data in general, human employees may not be able to analyze the vast amounts of data streaming through their daily operations. This is especially true in larger organizations. This is why AI can easily become an essential tool for decision-making and analyzing key data sets. Essentially, AI fills in the gaps between human ability and big data. This frees up time for IT professionals to focus on matters that need attention the most and relieves them of the burden of real-time decisions or time-consuming troubleshooting.
For example, without AI, IT professionals may spend hours or days attempting to discover exactly what is crashing a company’s applications or systems. With AI, professionals can know exactly what kind of error they are looking for, which makes filtering their data log infinitely easier. It could cut the workload down by half or more.
AI can simplify the IT hiring process
Many companies are beginning to implement AI before they even hire workers, as they are using AI personnel management systems to help them find the best IT professionals for the jobs. This kind of software operates in two distinct manners. First, it may spot the most high-quality resumes among hundreds or thousands of candidates pouring in. Second, it may broaden the hiring pool so employers can include a more diverse group of candidates than they would be able to do on their own.
“Recruiters spend 60 percent of their time reading CVs,” Juergen Mueller, SAP’s Chief Innovation Officer, told the Wall Street Journal. “Why should a person read 300 resumes if a machine can propose the top 10?”
What this means for IT professionals is that they may want to consider brushing up on their knowledge of AI, big data and other relevant technology trends to remain above the fray and stand out in a sea of applications. This is because it is likely that if companies are using AI to search for valuable candidates, they likely are looking for applicants who understand how to use this innovative technology.
Why should IT professionals embrace (and learn) AI?
Now is the time to learn about AI. Since the technology has progressed rapidly over the years, there are plenty of resources, tools, workshops and programs that want to empower IT professionals to gain more experience in this emerging field. As mentioned above, AI not only significantly cuts down workloads, but having this skill set also helps IT professionals stand out during the competitive hiring process.
The learning process may be overwhelming at first, but the payoff can be enormous. Not only will IT professionals be more qualified for a wider range of positions, but they will be set up for the next generation of technology trends that will likely come their way. After all, when it deals with technology, it’s usually best to embrace new developments and stay ahead, rather than fall behind.
How can potential IT professionals learn more about AI and other technologies?
Continuing one’s education can help individuals transition into different roles and stay up to date with the current technological trends. Finding an online bachelor’s degree in information systems that challenges people as well as gives them the tools to succeed in a technological environment is essential.
An online Bachelor of Science in Information Systems degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham may be able to help. Students will learn about database management systems, information systems and information security management, which can help them develop the skills to keep abreast in this fast-paced field. To learn more, reach out to an Enrollment advisor today about our online program.
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Sources:
WSJ.com, How AI Is Transforming The Workplace
WeForum.org, Artificial Intelligence will save jobs, not destroy them.
Newsweek, How Artificial Intelligence And Robots Will Radically Transform The Economy
Get.com, How AI Will Transform The Job Market
DataFloq.com, Artificial Intelligence Transforms IT Operations
Forbes.com, How Machine Learning And Artificial Intelligence Can Transform Your Sales Department
BBC, What Is Artificial Intelligence