19 answers
Isha
Student
Skokie, Illinois
1
Question
Asked
1533 views
Is there still a demand in IT with the emergence of AI?
ai is just scary
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19 answers
Vaishali K
Product Manager
3
Answers
Sunnyvale, California
Updated
Vaishali’s Answer
Hello Isha, great question! This is on everyone's mind these days :)
The way I see it being the IT field for 20+ years is technology has taken many turns and transformations over the years, but has always been an integral part of our lives. AI revolution can be thought of a similar transformation. It may be daunting but it will also open many fields and areas that need humans to "smartly" and "creatively" use it. The skills of IT professionals needed might be different, but still critical. Some of the fields in technology that AI will work hand in hand are - Data Science, Robotics, IT management etc.
Goodluck with your pursuit of AI and IT, I wish you the best!!
The way I see it being the IT field for 20+ years is technology has taken many turns and transformations over the years, but has always been an integral part of our lives. AI revolution can be thought of a similar transformation. It may be daunting but it will also open many fields and areas that need humans to "smartly" and "creatively" use it. The skills of IT professionals needed might be different, but still critical. Some of the fields in technology that AI will work hand in hand are - Data Science, Robotics, IT management etc.
Goodluck with your pursuit of AI and IT, I wish you the best!!
Fernando Iriarte
Freelance Writer & Editor
153
Answers
Puerto Rico
Updated
Fernando’s Answer
There will always be a demand for IT. Contrary to what some in the business world are pushing AI is a tool, not a means of replacing the worker. AI on its own is faulty, rigid and lacking in analytical skill. This fact, sadly, has not spot various higher ups in the business world from trying to replace workers with AI. Though this venture will result with egg on their faces.
Gireesh Subramanya
Technology / Software Development
6
Answers
San Jose, California
Updated
Gireesh’s Answer
Consider this from a historical perspective.
Being a long-time participant in the tech industry, it's clear that the ongoing trends are continually stretching limits to create superior products for consumers. The goal is to simplify their lives, save them time, and allow them to fully engage with life.
Just like any fresh innovation, such as the introduction of advanced tech stacks, led to some tech-savvy individuals losing their jobs, Artificial Intelligence will also lead to some job losses. However, it's important to note that it will generate more jobs than it eliminates. These new jobs will venture into unexplored territories that don't exist today. What's even more uplifting is that these jobs will be more rewarding, steering away from a career dominated by bits and bytes.
Being a long-time participant in the tech industry, it's clear that the ongoing trends are continually stretching limits to create superior products for consumers. The goal is to simplify their lives, save them time, and allow them to fully engage with life.
Just like any fresh innovation, such as the introduction of advanced tech stacks, led to some tech-savvy individuals losing their jobs, Artificial Intelligence will also lead to some job losses. However, it's important to note that it will generate more jobs than it eliminates. These new jobs will venture into unexplored territories that don't exist today. What's even more uplifting is that these jobs will be more rewarding, steering away from a career dominated by bits and bytes.
Alex Gonzalez
Product Manager
5
Answers
Phoenix, Arizona
Updated
Alex’s Answer
Hi Isha,
I understand how AI can seem scary and I appreciate you asking this question. As someone who works in the tech industry and direct experience with AI products, I can guarantee you that IT will continue to be in demand for the long term. While AI can be powerful, it still requires human knowledge and expertise to ensure it works as designed.
I will say though, the jobs within IT will shift and change over time as AI evolves, but in my mind, they will become more complex and focused. Also, the jobs related to IT infrastructure, security, and optimization will continue to exist. One thing I am confident about is that we don't even know what IT jobs will look like in the future because those jobs do not exist. When I was young I could have never imagined working at an organization that provides online virtual support using AI technology. I would have never been able to tell myself I wanted to be a Product Manager, because that role didn't exist back then.
So keep grinding on your IT path if that is what drives and motivates you. You will be able to find a career path that fulfills you and allows you to use your skills.
I understand how AI can seem scary and I appreciate you asking this question. As someone who works in the tech industry and direct experience with AI products, I can guarantee you that IT will continue to be in demand for the long term. While AI can be powerful, it still requires human knowledge and expertise to ensure it works as designed.
I will say though, the jobs within IT will shift and change over time as AI evolves, but in my mind, they will become more complex and focused. Also, the jobs related to IT infrastructure, security, and optimization will continue to exist. One thing I am confident about is that we don't even know what IT jobs will look like in the future because those jobs do not exist. When I was young I could have never imagined working at an organization that provides online virtual support using AI technology. I would have never been able to tell myself I wanted to be a Product Manager, because that role didn't exist back then.
So keep grinding on your IT path if that is what drives and motivates you. You will be able to find a career path that fulfills you and allows you to use your skills.
ALEJANDRA SCALONE
Arquitecta de Solucion
30
Answers
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Updated
ALEJANDRA’s Answer
yes and even more
The administration and management of AI is one more branch of the IT world so totally yes
The administration and management of AI is one more branch of the IT world so totally yes
Layne Buckley
Human Resources
42
Answers
Salinas, California
Updated
Layne’s Answer
Great question! Yes, AI will eliminate some jobs, but it will also create new ones. There are new jobs every day for people who work on AI technology. I would encourage you to look at the opportunities that AI creates.
Look at the new opportunities and jobs created by new technologies such as AI
Layne recommends the following next steps:
James Constantine Frangos
Consultant Dietitian & Software Developer since 1972 => Nutrition Education => Health & Longevity => Self-Actualization.
6338
Answers
Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Updated
James Constantine’s Answer
Hi Isha!
Indeed, the current wave of Information Technology advancements, driven by individuals seemingly fixated on financial gains, does have a distinct George Orwell-like feel. It's concerning to see practices like using AI to write books or introducing coding to children at a very young age, all in a bid to monopolize the programming industry. It's a frightening thought to imagine AI playing a role in public policy or law enforcement.
There should be compulsory exit strategies in public policies to keep our lives from being controlled by machines. The mere thought of a robotic version of Kim Jong Un is absolutely chilling. We've had enough with the human version! I once reached out to Kim when an Adelaide Pastor was held captive in North Korea around 2010. His wife was terrified he might be executed.
In my email, I asserted that Kim would free the pastor, describing him as a "great man." My psychological persuasion tactic worked. However, a machine might not have the capacity for mercy, no matter how much it's trained or educated!
James.
Indeed, the current wave of Information Technology advancements, driven by individuals seemingly fixated on financial gains, does have a distinct George Orwell-like feel. It's concerning to see practices like using AI to write books or introducing coding to children at a very young age, all in a bid to monopolize the programming industry. It's a frightening thought to imagine AI playing a role in public policy or law enforcement.
There should be compulsory exit strategies in public policies to keep our lives from being controlled by machines. The mere thought of a robotic version of Kim Jong Un is absolutely chilling. We've had enough with the human version! I once reached out to Kim when an Adelaide Pastor was held captive in North Korea around 2010. His wife was terrified he might be executed.
In my email, I asserted that Kim would free the pastor, describing him as a "great man." My psychological persuasion tactic worked. However, a machine might not have the capacity for mercy, no matter how much it's trained or educated!
James.
Stephen Robinson
Strategy consulting
1
Answer
New York, New York
Updated
Stephen’s Answer
yes - there will always be a need for IT! In fact, the emergence of AI will make IT even more critical to a company's success. Within IT, there are several functional areas like data, cybersecurity, enterprise IT infrastructure, cloud computing, ops, etc. AI will no doubt shape the way we think about each of those functions, and most companies already incorporate AI into each. Rather than IT going away, professionals in IT will need to have an understanding of AI and how it can help their business functions. There are two lenses to this: how it can help your activities, and your role within your company's adoption of AI.
For your activities, AI will have a huge impact within software engineering use cases. A big piece of IT is optimizing existing infrastructure and modernizing legacy systems. Generative AI can help here - with functions like copilot, companies can effectively modernize code to more modern languages, and improve the way that existing code is written. Instead of AI taking away jobs, you have the opportunity to turbocharge your IT infra and legacy code to meet your business objectives.
Across your company, many AI use cases will likely be adopted. IT will play a key role in making this happen, as every part of the tech stack will need to be considered. For example, newer AI applications leverage generative AI. Use cases that corporations use will often use "fine-tuning" as the mechanism for training the model - think of ChatGPT, but with knowledge of your company's data. For this to launch, the IT organization will need to ensure the data is in a format that can be consumed, but is also protected from misuse or getting in the wrong hands.
I could go on for a while about the ways IT will change, but I hope this gives a good flavor of it. Rather than looking at AI as a threat to jobs within IT, look at the AI boom as an opportunity for you to be a star in IT. If you learn general AI concepts now, it will pay dividends for your growth.
For your activities, AI will have a huge impact within software engineering use cases. A big piece of IT is optimizing existing infrastructure and modernizing legacy systems. Generative AI can help here - with functions like copilot, companies can effectively modernize code to more modern languages, and improve the way that existing code is written. Instead of AI taking away jobs, you have the opportunity to turbocharge your IT infra and legacy code to meet your business objectives.
Across your company, many AI use cases will likely be adopted. IT will play a key role in making this happen, as every part of the tech stack will need to be considered. For example, newer AI applications leverage generative AI. Use cases that corporations use will often use "fine-tuning" as the mechanism for training the model - think of ChatGPT, but with knowledge of your company's data. For this to launch, the IT organization will need to ensure the data is in a format that can be consumed, but is also protected from misuse or getting in the wrong hands.
I could go on for a while about the ways IT will change, but I hope this gives a good flavor of it. Rather than looking at AI as a threat to jobs within IT, look at the AI boom as an opportunity for you to be a star in IT. If you learn general AI concepts now, it will pay dividends for your growth.
James Linsell-Fraser
IT Architect
10
Answers
Manchester, England, United Kingdom
Updated
James’s Answer
Hello Isha,
Yes AI is scary, but humans only fear the unknown. AI is not here to take over (like the sci-fi movies!), but we should embrace it as a tool to improve our day to day lives - add value to the tasks, chores or even hobbies we have.
In my line or work, 28+ years in IT, this is probably the biggest paradigm shift and I am finding it difficult to unlearn the old ways and how to use AI to my advantage, and that of my customers. There is no better way than to use Bing Chat for example (this is Microsoft's ChatGPT if you heard of it), it is free to use and learning all the time. Ask it for suggestions, ask it to write something for you, or ask it a direct question and use the tool (the Browser) to refine its output. This way you will see what is needed to use AI to its best, and apply that to your own need.
There are plenty of jobs in IT still and AI will just become the next new norm, and we will adapt our ways of working and thinking to take advantage of the AI tool and experience - remember, AI cannot replace humans, it is only as good as we can teach it (train it) and it still requires a good degree of data engineering, compute services and quality inputs to make it effective!
Yes AI is scary, but humans only fear the unknown. AI is not here to take over (like the sci-fi movies!), but we should embrace it as a tool to improve our day to day lives - add value to the tasks, chores or even hobbies we have.
In my line or work, 28+ years in IT, this is probably the biggest paradigm shift and I am finding it difficult to unlearn the old ways and how to use AI to my advantage, and that of my customers. There is no better way than to use Bing Chat for example (this is Microsoft's ChatGPT if you heard of it), it is free to use and learning all the time. Ask it for suggestions, ask it to write something for you, or ask it a direct question and use the tool (the Browser) to refine its output. This way you will see what is needed to use AI to its best, and apply that to your own need.
There are plenty of jobs in IT still and AI will just become the next new norm, and we will adapt our ways of working and thinking to take advantage of the AI tool and experience - remember, AI cannot replace humans, it is only as good as we can teach it (train it) and it still requires a good degree of data engineering, compute services and quality inputs to make it effective!
Michael Leibrandt, CCNA, CNS-D, VSE, CDCA
IT Project Manager, Supervisor of Audio/Visual Services, Information Technology Engineer II
13
Answers
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Updated
Michael’s Answer
Hi Isha! As others have said, terrific question. And you are not alone in wondering this. It seems like the effect of AI is on everyone's mind right now. I have nearly 25 years of IT experience and I can tell you that in my opinion AI will never replace the need for a human point person. If you go to work for a company that relies on your expertise in a technical field, you'll be needed for sure. AI can't do service recovery, be a sympathic ear for internal customers frustrated with technology, or provide the human aspect needed when things go wrong. If you are considering going to school or training for IT, don't let AI stop you from your goals.
Nivea Hanley
AI Engineer
16
Answers
Clearwater, Florida
Updated
Nivea’s Answer
Absolutely! Even with AI making waves, the IT industry is still thriving. AI has opened up new avenues, which means there's a demand for folks who can build, manage, and keep AI systems running smoothly. From automation to ethical questions, the need for tech pros who can navigate these waters and use AI to tackle real issues is on the rise.
Robert Moseley
Senior Software Engineer
8
Answers
Charlotte, North Carolina
Updated
Robert’s Answer
The media often paints a more dramatic picture than what's truly happening. AI is simply another instrument that's going to be harnessed to boost productivity, not to wipe out all roles in IT. There are countless IT jobs where AI will be incorporated as a helpful tool, not as a replacement. While there's talk about AI being used to craft whole programs, this task can't be completed without the essential human input of requirements. IT continues to be a field that's expanding and full of opportunities.
Jerome Levy
81
Answers
Updated
Jerome’s Answer
All of the above points are valid in my opinion. Consider this, though:
AI needs to run on a computer.
Computers are supported by IT. (Humans).
And computers don't work for long without support.
Artificial intelligence will doubtless supplant and disrupt the use of human intelligence, but it isn't going to replace it in either of our lifetimes. Pursue the career you want and learn about AI, but don't be afraid of it. Every technology brings its own changes, and this one's no different.
AI needs to run on a computer.
Computers are supported by IT. (Humans).
And computers don't work for long without support.
Artificial intelligence will doubtless supplant and disrupt the use of human intelligence, but it isn't going to replace it in either of our lifetimes. Pursue the career you want and learn about AI, but don't be afraid of it. Every technology brings its own changes, and this one's no different.
Alison Strange
Customer Success Manager
1
Answer
Maidstone, England, United Kingdom
Updated
Alison’s Answer
Hi Isha- great question!
I work in tech but I deal with real people. I look after big contracts that we have with companies whose employees are learning a language. While we have tools to help clients evaluate the success of our product, I find that people buy from people and when we are discussing renewals for example, you need to speak to each other to really understand what they need, their budgets, pain points etc.
I work in tech but I deal with real people. I look after big contracts that we have with companies whose employees are learning a language. While we have tools to help clients evaluate the success of our product, I find that people buy from people and when we are discussing renewals for example, you need to speak to each other to really understand what they need, their budgets, pain points etc.
David Hamilton
Global Program Manager
12
Answers
Westborough, Massachusetts
Updated
David’s Answer
Good question!
I think that AI's will be helpful in a lot of ways, some jobs will be lost, new ones will be created.
The people that do well, IT or otherwise, will be the ones that learn how to use the AI's to enhance their jobs and productivity.
I think that AI's will be helpful in a lot of ways, some jobs will be lost, new ones will be created.
The people that do well, IT or otherwise, will be the ones that learn how to use the AI's to enhance their jobs and productivity.
Chuck Geiger
Chief Technology Officer
1
Answer
Austin, Texas
Updated
Chuck’s Answer
IT will forever be a crucial part of the workplace. Think of AI as a fresh collection of tools that can empower businesses in novel and thrilling ways. However, companies will continue to require employees, technical resources, and tools to accomplish their tasks. Consequently, the need for IT professionals to handle and oversee these tools and technologies will always be present.
Mattie Greenwood
Success Manager
4
Answers
Austin, Texas
Updated
Mattie’s Answer
Artificial Intelligence (AI) can prove to be immensely beneficial. It offers services that are beyond human capabilities. For instance, AI is employed to forecast the arrival time of your Amazon package or the wait time in a line at Disney World. In the realm of Information Technology, the necessity for human interaction to build customer relationships will persist. Instead of viewing AI with apprehension, we suggest you welcome it. Discover how businesses are utilizing AI to enhance their operations and enrich customer experiences.
Read articles about AI innovation
Take a class in AI
Mattie recommends the following next steps:
Amalya Sukiasyan
ESOL teacher at Washington English Center
297
Answers
Yerevan
Updated
Amalya’s Answer
IT field is closely related to AI. So if you want to be engaged in the field, AI knowledge and skills are of crucial importance.
Omar Yussry
Tech-Geek
30
Answers
Ismailia, Ismailia Governorate, Egypt
Updated
Omar’s Answer
Absolutely! It's humans like you who are the driving force behind technology. Each time you create something innovative, it opens up a plethora of new job prospects and opportunities. So, why hesitate? The world needs your brilliance!