10 Ways To Win In The Age Of Artificial Intelligence

Robotic hand pressing a keyboard on a laptop 3D rendering

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I’m an independent career and executive coach and freelance journalist, not a computer scientist, economist, sociologist, philosopher (although I fancy that idea), or political scientist. They have their own disciplined view of AI. Me? I care about how my clients and readers can benefit from what I do. That’s why I’ve been researching and writing almost exclusively about AI – here and elsewhere. And here’s the latest: how you’ll get ahead in a world of AI.

1. Understand what AI is.

AI is simulated human intelligence in computers and other computer-driven machines. That, in fundamentally simple terms, is all it is. For people in tech careers, it’s a new and expanded scope of career; for others it’s a new and expanded tool.

2. Be realistic.

There’s been as much hype around AI as there’s been development, if not more. The result is a paranoid frenzy amongst us humans (the ones with the natural intelligence – or at least supposedly so) that AI will do anything from “taking my job” to ruling the world and all of us humans in it. Truth: We are overestimating what AI can do in the next three years and probably underestimating what it will be able to do in 10. That’s the “it” in “deal with it.” So…

3. Stop freakin’ out over AI.

Keep a clear head at all times. This is a fantastic thing, and the advantages will make themselves apparent if you’re cool and calm; they won’t if you’re not.

4. Comprehend AI’s scope and power.

No invention or discovery in human history has changed civilization as much as AI will, and none has ever affected – or will affect – absolutely everything we do, like AI will. That’s a promise if you’re an optimist and a threat if you’re a pessimist. The choice is yours.

5. Make AI a part of your life ASAP.

Learn how to use it by developing AI skills. If you work in IT, develop the tech skills to stay at the cutting edge. If you’re not a techie, learn how to use AI to do a better job at what you do. (See my posts on Forbes.com: August 10 and August 19).

6. Take AI courses – regularly and ongoing – and never stop.

Two of AI’s characteristics are its pace of change and its constancy of change. To suggest that we all stay ahead of it is ridiculous; to say that we go with the flow is a given.

7. Budget your time to accommodate your ongoing learning of AI.

Americans, it has been revealed, spend 90 minutes a day on Instagram and a total of three hours on all social media. So drop the excuse that you have no time, and face the reality of how you’re spending your time.

8. Put it in your household or work budget.

There are courses a-plenty of courses on all the MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses), and many of them are free or low-cost. You can go from there to certificates and degrees, if you like. This is low-hanging fruit.

9. Change your mind set.

Years back, we studied a subject or career (accounting, biology, education, liberal arts) – and we rode that horse for 45 years to retirement. Not anymore. If anything, AI will change your career more than once before you’re done. See how you feel about that. As my old friend Tim Powell always says, “If you don’t change, you have changed.”