HALF OF TODAY'S WORKFORCE SKILLS WON'T MATTER IN 2025

In many jobs and industries, new technologies are changing how we work, and employees need to learn new skills. One of these important skills is using Artificial Intelligence or AI.

AI skills at work can be either technical (like programming or building AI products) or non-technical (like using AI tools). Job listings for occupations connected with non-technical AI skills, for example, utilizing generative artificial intelligence devices, have expanded a ton as of late.

As a matter of fact, there are currently over 450% more job postings for these sorts of abilities contrasted with only a year prior. In this way, figuring out how to work with man-made intelligence is turning out to be increasingly pivotal in the present work market.

How AI will impact the world of work?

To understand how AI will impact work, edX and Workplace Intelligence surveyed 800 regular workers (not bosses) and 800 top executives, including 500 CEOs. This report talks about what they found, like how quickly AI is being used, why everyone in a company needs to learn AI skills, and how leaders and workers are adapting to AI.

Executives believe Half of the Skills that exist in Today’s Workforce won’t be relevant in 2025

The bosses, or executives, think that almost half (49%) of the skills people have at work today won’t be useful in 2025. They additionally feel that 47% of their representatives aren’t prepared for the eventual fate of work. It’s anything but an unexpected that numerous chiefs are struggling with finding individuals who know how to function with computer based intelligence.

As computer based intelligence continues to change how we work, pioneers need to ensure their organization has the right abilities to remain serious. But since there’s a great deal of contest for talented specialists, pioneers ought to likewise zero in on showing individuals who as of now work for them about artificial intelligence.

Fortunately the review showed that workers are anxious to acquire artificial intelligence abilities, however many aren’t getting the assist they with requiring from their supervisors. Thus, pioneers need to ensure they support all levels of their organization with a learning program that spotlights on obtain results.

AI is Quickly Changing the World of Work

It’s not surprising that top executives foresee the growing importance of AI skills, with 77% believing that these skills will become more crucial in the next 1-2 years. Additionally, nearly 80% of them confirm that their companies are already utilizing AI.

Managing AI Integration

While 41% of executives are cautious about AI use and closely oversee it, 38% are swiftly incorporating AI into their business strategies. Within the next year, they estimate that 60% of their workforce will need some level of proficiency in developing AI or using AI-powered tools.

However, finding skilled AI talent remains a challenge, as 87% of executives report difficulties in hiring and 77% mention that AI is disrupting their business strategies.

Employees Eager to Embrace AI

Employees are keeping pace, with 59% already using AI at work and 77% and 85% anticipating its use within the next 1 and 5 years, respectively. Consequently, 72% of employees feel it’s important to improve their AI skills in the next 1-2 years, and 58% expect their roles to be redefined by AI in various ways.

Changing Roles and Attitudes

Workers anticipate shifts in their roles, spending more time on meaningful tasks, reviewing AI outputs, and collaborating with colleagues but less time assisting customers or clients. They also believe their job scope will expand, and they’ll be held to higher performance standards.

Managers already recognize the potential benefits of AI, with nearly 30% encouraging or expecting their employees to use AI.

Employee Sentiments Towards AI

Surprisingly, employees are less anxious about AI than expected, with only about a third feeling overwhelmed (33%) or threatened (31%) by AI. However, uncertainties linger about AI’s broader impacts, including its effect on job security.

Around half of workers (52%) believe AI will have a positive overall impact on the workplace, but 25% would not want AI support or augmentation, even if their pay remained the same.

AI Will Impact Every Level of the Organization

Top executives expect AI to take over or enhance many tasks in their organizations in the next 5 years. While they think the C-Suite (the big bosses) might be the least affected, 56% believe that AI will fully or partially replace executive-level roles.

Then again, representatives are less inclined to accept that man-made intelligence will supplant these jobs, including their own. Despite the fact that 76% of laborers imagine that simulated intelligence could assist for certain pieces of their work, just 20% feel that most or their work could be all completely mechanized by simulated intelligence.

This shows that representatives may not completely acknowledge the amount man-made intelligence will change the work environment before long, while top leaders accept artificial intelligence will have a major and wide effect. For laborers, it’s vital to comprehend and adjust to the new changes occurring in the working environment and their professions.

AI’s Impact on C-Suite Executives’ Roles

Shockingly, almost 90% of top leaders accept that man-made intelligence could do at any rate a few pieces of their work, and 83% figure simulated intelligence will reshape their parts in the following year. It’s significantly shocking that 49% of these leaders feel that most of their positions could be completely supplanted by man-made intelligence.

This shift will likewise influence the most significant levels of administration, with 47% of the C-Suite recommending that most of the President’s job ought to be taken over by man-made intelligence. Truth be told, among the 500 presidents reviewed, close to half (49%) accept that most of their obligations ought to be completely mechanized or supplanted by simulated intelligence.

How Executives View the Power of AI

Executives are well aware that AI has the potential to enhance their effectiveness and free up time for more crucial business activities. AI can handle routine tasks, such as preparing executive communications and even generating innovative ideas for new markets, products, or business strategies. These advances additionally offer significant help in arranging, estimating, and information driven navigation.

As a matter of fact, 92% of top leaders figure out the significance of further developing their simulated intelligence abilities in the following 1-2 years, and a similar rate are now integrating man-made intelligence into their jobs. While most executives are optimistic about the impact of AI, some find the rapid pace of change a bit overwhelming.

How AI Will Impact Entry-Level Jobs

In addition to understanding how top executives see AI, the survey also looked at how AI might affect entry-level knowledge workers. These roles could be significantly transformed, as AI tools easily handle many entry-level tasks.

Changes Expected by the C-Suite

Surprisingly, more than 80% of top executives think that the nature of these jobs will change completely. Within their organizations, 86% believe AI will influence entry-level knowledge worker roles in some way.

The C-Suite not only expects these workers to use AI (48%) but also anticipates higher performance standards (52%) and increased pay and competition for these roles (41%).

Entry-Level Roles and AI

What’s even more striking is that executives estimate that within the next 5 years, AI will lead to the removal of over half (56%) of entry-level knowledge worker roles in their organizations. Furthermore, 79% of top executives predict that these jobs will no longer exist as AI creates entirely new roles for newcomers to the workforce.

Concerns and Advice

Executives are concerned that these workers may not develop essential skills for their profession due to an over-reliance on AI (85%) and could face challenges in advancing their careers (77%). Their advice to employees is to proactively learn AI skills and other key skills for their roles.

For instance, 60% of top executives believe that entry-level knowledge workers should master using AI, especially quick engineering. However, 66% think that managers should guide these team members in developing skills beyond AI to progress in their careers.

Executives also feel these workers should focus on gaining practical experience to become experts in their profession.

AI Skills Can Give You a Big Career Boost

A large majority of top executives (82%) believe that as long as employees complete their tasks, it doesn’t matter if they use AI to help them. Executives also understand that doing so can be a major advantage for workers, with 92% agreeing that employees who are skilled in AI have an edge at work.

Furthermore, 83% of the C-Suite think that workers who excel at using AI should receive higher pay, and 74% feel they should be promoted more frequently.

83% of Executives Believe Employees Proficient in AI Should Receive Higher Pay.

74% Believe Employees Skilled in AI Should Be Promoted More Frequently.

Moreover, the survey unveiled that certain employees, especially those from Gen Z, are discreetly employing AI to advance their careers or supplement their earnings, or they would contemplate using AI for such purposes:

Quietly Acquiring AI Skills to Gain an Edge Over Co-workers.

Gen Z 62%
All employees 50%

Using AI Covertly to Finish Some Job Tasks and Taking Credit for the Work.

Gen Z 55%
All employees 29%

Utilizing AI for Part-Time Work at Another Company.

Gen Z 57%
All employees 45%

Employing AI to Handle Multiple Full-Time Jobs.

Gen Z 61%
Of all employees 46%

Most C-Suite respondents are fine with team members using AI for multiple jobs if they get their work done.

Executives and Employees Embrace Change, but Workplace Learning Programs Lag Behind

Out of all the surveyed executives, 76% of executives are changing their business strategies due to AI, and 58% of employees are adapting to AI, with 24% using company programs for learning AI, while 21% seek self-learning.

Surprisingly, both employees and executives lack confidence in their company’s learning and development programs. In the past year, 57% of employees and 89% of the C-Suite sought learning content outside their company’s offerings, often paying for it themselves.

Dissatisfaction is so high that 39% of workers are likely to leave for better learning opportunities within a year, rising to 51% among Gen Z and Millennials. Fortunately, the C-Suite agrees that their organizations should do more to support employee learning, especially in AI skills, with 72% believing in increased investment in AI-focused learning over the next 1–2 years.

This aligns with 84% of employees who expect their employer to provide training to stay up-to-date in their skills, making companies the new post-secondary colleges. Improving educational offerings not only future-proofs the workforce but also enhances retention, as 77% of employees are more likely to stay with companies offering better learning and development programs.

IS YOUR WORKFORCE READY FOR THE AGE OF AI?

There’s an urgent need for the C-Suite to embed AI throughout the organization, including their roles. Both employees and executives acknowledge the importance of AI proficiency, realizing it can significantly boost their careers, and they are keen to acquire these skills promptly.

For executives, the choice is clear: either empower employees with the right skill sets or risk them leaving or becoming less valuable to the business.

While there are numerous steps leaders should take to prepare their workforce for AI, offering outcome-focused learning and development programs should be a central part of the long-term strategy.

HALF OF THE SKILLS THAT EXIST IN TODAY’S WORKFORCE WON’T BE RELEVANT IN 2025