Hire or Upskill? The Burning Question in an Age of Runaway AI

Generative AI speaks like a human, but to make it work employees have to think like a machine. Where do you go to find that kind of talent?

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Runaway Horses by Frank Schoonover, published in American Magazine, Novembert 1914, p. 21 New Britain Museum of American Art
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Generative AI is overtaking the world and changing everything from how business is won to how the Internet is done. Companies around the globe are scrambling to find or grow talent to steer from their AI helms. But it's not easy to figure out a staffing strategy beyond an acknowledgement of the general need for such.

"With the speed at which generative AI developments are advancing, it is no secret that virtually all brands will need to have some level of AI proficiency within their organizations," says Ashu Dubey, co-Founder & CEO of Gleen AI in an email interview. "It would be smart to have some team members that are experienced in using AI tools."

But that's easier said than done. Until OpenAI busted loose with a free and very public ChatGPT model last year, most workers had never heard of generative AI, let alone studied or gained experience in working with it.

Yet it can't be that hard to work with, right? It's a conversational chatbot, for goodness sakes. And all the other generative AI models and flavors work in natural language, too.

Obviously, the new coding language is human. Users can just type or say what they need in a prompt bar, and the AI does it. Easy, except not.

Why are so many humans bad at prompting generative AI? And more importantly, how do businesses overcome this talent shortage if you can't easily measure or predict who is good at chatting up an AI app?

Related:Lack of LLM Developers Impacting AI Ecosystem

The problem seems absurd on the surface. Shouldn't using generative AI be as easy as using a digital assistant like Siri, Alexa, or Google Assistant?

A deeper look reveals that digital assistants are more akin to personalized search engine manifestations than the far more evolved generative AI models. It is AI's intelligence that requires a more thoughtful exchange between human and machine. Hence, the search for specialized prompting skills. …

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About the Authors

Pam Baker

Contributor

A prolific writer and analyst, Pam Baker's published work appears in many leading publications. She's also the author of several books, the most recent of which is "Data Divination: Big Data Strategies." Baker is also a popular speaker at technology conferences and a member of the National Press Club, Society of Professional Journalists and the Internet Press Guild.

InformationWeek

InformationWeek, a sister site to ITPro Today, is a trusted source for CIOs and IT leaders seeking comprehensive and authentic coverage of the constantly evolving world of technology and its impact on business. Our experienced and ethical journalists conduct in-depth examinations of crucial issues and the impact of global events on IT operations and strategies, helping forward-thinking executives stay at the forefront of their industries. InformationWeek also provides a platform for enterprise IT leaders and leading tech companies to share their insights and experiences through exclusive interviews, opinion pieces, and events, offering firsthand accounts of strategies, trends, and innovations.

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