A.I. is calling – how do you answer?
William T. Cousins, Ph.D.
It’s impossible to address the breadth and depth of A.I.’s impact across society and all fields of STEM, however the following “5 Pro Tips” offer guidance to those entering STEM fields as well as professionals seeking to become successful leaders.
Develop your core technical skills. A.I. in its current instance is not always right so understanding the fundamentals of a technical solution at a first-principles level will equip you to guard against assumptions and enable you to make sound decisions throughout your career. The evaluation of results is critical to advantageous application of A.I.: interrogate, investigate, validate.
Focus on higher-level problem-solving. Work that requires repetitive tasks is ripe for the application of A.I.; in contrast, establishing a sustainable, successful STEM career requires proficient systems thinking, being innovative, performing complex troubleshooting tasks, and cross-disciplinary thinking.
Build your literacy in AI tools. Knowing which A.I. resource best applies to a particular use case, and why, will position you above your peers at any stage of your career.
Explore and understand the ethical implications of A.I. The impact of technology emerges through application, so commit to wrangling with all aspects of consequence prior to decision-making.
“Soft skills” will position you above the crowd. As A.I. advances, areas like critical thinking, creativity, communication skills, and your ability to collaborate become differentiators when assessing your value and potential against others.
Advancing your aptitude and abilities across all these areas while committing to lifelong learning will position you to capture beneficial results in your professional career as well as in life.