What if you never had to write any of your essays in school? Heck, what if you didn't even have to learn to read?
While there has been a gradual development of artificial intelligence for some time now, the past couple of years have seen exponential change. Nearly every industry will include some element of AI -- and that means students will require new skills.
However, academics believe the rise of generative AI systems will not erase the need for traditional knowledge. Dr. Bryce Traister is the Dean of Creative and Critical Studies at the University of British Columbia's Okanagan campus and faces tough questions from students who feel trepidation about advancements that might make their passions obsolete.
Many people have cautioned creatives against enrolling in arts programs since AI can generate breathtaking copy, images, music, and 3D models in mere moments. What would have traditionally taken a screenwriter or painter weeks or possibly months to accomplish can be completed in a day.
Traister believes there has been an overreaction to the latest surge in AI development, which has encouraged students to abandon their passions. Instead, he advises that students develop a "collaborative relationship" with generative AI. As an example, Traister describes a recent student's project the found the painter using an AI modeller to generate an image she then painted over.
Dr. Patrick Pennefather, a professor of theatre and film at UBC in Vancouver, also believes generative AI can be a useful tool to support the creative process, from ideation through editing to the final product.
But creatives may need to take a break from riding the technological wave, he cautions, warning artists who might feel hindered to "stop using [AI tools] and go to the piano, your canvas, your voice, a pen and paper, a rehearsal room, a dance studio."
Steve Lowry, Executive Director of the AI network of B.C., says the majority of professionals will need to keep up with evolving AI trends by signing up for newsletters and taking courses.
"It's really a mindset of how you can learn to [use the new technology] to make your job better and faster," he explained. "And there are tons of resources out there that are for free, including courses on LinkedIn and Coursera."
People can use the default model of ChatGPT for free, as well as other generative AI models. By using these free tools, they can get a feel for how they work and where they might be able to fill gaps in their work.
For many professionals, ChatGPT and other generative AI models will automate much of the work they do. Learning how to give the appropriate prompts to an AI generator will allow them to do their jobs more efficiently.
The future of AI jobs in Vancouver
When it comes to selecting a profession, people may want to have a more flexible application of their ideal career choice; they might also want to take some computer science classes.
Lowry, who has a Master of Business Administration, notes that AI is already incorporated into an undergrad diploma for the field. This means that students are exposed to different AI models without pursuing a degree in it.
But a degree in computer science would be an ideal starting point for understanding "how the world is being built," he emphasizes.
Math majors will also have an advantage in understanding the application of AI. Data science courses will include an understanding of how data is used on a large scale to create algorithms.
"There are millions of different kinds of datasets out there, but trying to understand how the math is applied to produce results is really critical," he noted.
In some instances, biases have been identified in datasets or tools used to narrow them down. Amazon created an employee recruitment tool that helped them narrow down hundreds of resumes to the top five candidates. However, it ended up favouring applications from men because it based its selection on what it learned about the company's history. Since the tech industry was largely male-dominated, the tool taught itself that applications from men were preferable, according to Reuters.
Since AI systems fail, people who understand them will be required to identify and solve issues. Job-seekers who are flexible in their learning and abilities will have various opportunities to work with the new technology rather than be swept away in a fearsome AI wave.
