AI's Rise Sparks Skills Shift in Workplace

The rise of AI is disrupting the traditional progression of junior employees learning by doing in the workforce.

Aparna Nair, IBM's chief talent, leadership, and culture officer, says two skills will become increasingly important: critical thinking and judgement, especially when dealing with uncertainty and ambiguity.

Nair believes that relying too heavily on AI tools can deprive young employees of the experience needed to understand why a particular decision is right or wrong.

IBM's research found a gap between employers and workers' views on the importance of these skills. While 57% of chief human resources officers surveyed identified critical thinking as important, only 49% of employees agreed.

Nair suggests that making AI part of the learning process can help employees develop their judgement by validating AI inputs and questioning its output.