Generative AI (Gen AI) isn’t just knocking on the door—It’s already rearranging the furniture inside. As the CEO of a global IT services company, I’ve witnessed its profound impact firsthand. From reimagining workflows to introducing novel approaches, Gen AI is reshaping our industry in real-time, creating fresh opportunities and injecting vitality into traditional tech roles.
It’s demanding new skills in AI system design and maintenance, urging tech professionals to adapt quickly. We have already seen the emergence of new roles triggered by Gen AI, like prompt engineers, LLM Ops, visual designers, and content creators. But the impact of Gen AI will extend much beyond these immediate changes into the future, affecting entire career paths.
Creative Careers Powered by AI
According to a study by OpenAI and the University of Pennsylvania, an impressive 80% of the US workforce could be impacted by generative AI. This technology is transforming roles beyond mere automation by enabling professionals to tackle more complex and creative challenges. For instance, in software development, tools like OpenAI’s Codex relieve programmers from routine coding, allowing them to concentrate on higher-level problem-solving and innovation.
Chief Executive Officer
Hexaware Technologies
Blending Disciplines through AI
Gen AI is catalysing new forms of collaboration across various fields, creating roles that merge technological expertise with domain knowledge. In healthcare, AI assists medical professionals by analysing complex data to improve diagnostic accuracy and patient care. In urban planning, AI tools help design sustainable and efficient city infrastructures, enhancing urban life quality. Roles and careers that require cross-disciplinary skills and human-machine interactions, emphasising better cooperation and co-existence, will come to the fore in this environment.
Navigating AI Ethics and Compliance
As AI technology becomes integral to everyday operations, the demand for professionals skilled in AI ethics and compliance is surging. IT roles now extend to managing AI systems to ensure they meet rigorous ethical standards and regulatory demands. AI governance and policy-related roles that help with the responsible use of AI, including aspects like security, privacy, compliance, fairness, ethics, and sustainability, will be much in demand as technological complexities, emergent model behaviors, and overlapping regulations continue to intersect and evolve.
Leading and Learning with AI
Some leading insurance companies, for instance, are using AI to handle claims efficiently and transparently, proving that technology can enhance service quality without compromising ethical standards. As Morgan Stanley estimates, Gen AI could influence over 40% of jobs within three years, with associated labor costs of USD 4.1 trillion. This can herald new roles in AI oversight and system optimisation.
The evolution of IT roles in the age of advanced AI requires visionary leadership and an ongoing commitment to education and skill development. Leaders must strategise to integrate AI and foster an organisational culture that values continuous learning and ethical responsibility.
AI educators, coaches, and catalysts that help with not just technology learning but also with change management and organisation adoption will be critical in the emerging career paths landscape.
AI’s New Job Description: Everyone’s Upgrading
From AI interpreters to virtual reality architects, the spectrum of opportunities is vast and ever-expanding. For many, this is an exciting time to be at the forefront of a field that is changing how we work and shaping our understanding of technology’s impact on the world. However, as Gen AI reshapes the IT industry, compelling IT professionals to become lifelong learners and requiring leaders to think critically about AI integration, the challenges and potential negative consequences, such as job displacement and the widening gap in access to training, must also be considered.
