How AI is Creating New Career Pathways

The digital era has brought a wave of innovation, central to which is artificial intelligence (AI). While concerns about job losses due to automation are widespread, there's another narrative that is often less discussed but just as important: the jobs that AI will create. Inspired by the World Economic Forum's white paper on "Jobs of Tomorrow: Large Language Models and Jobs," this article explores the kinds of jobs AI—Large Language Models (LLMs)—could generate, categorized as "trainers," "explainers," and "sustainers."

Trainers

Trainers are those who are deeply involved in developing AI technologies. This sector is expansive, from machine learning engineers to electrical engineers working on custom microchips that power LLMs. Companies like Meta are already pioneering in creating custom chips for AI, and according to Deloitte, these could help chip designers make further advances, strengthening both speed and cost-effectiveness. Additionally, as server infrastructure becomes increasingly critical for running these models, system administration and power systems engineering roles may see significant growth.

Explainers

These professionals will bridge the gap between complex AI systems and everyday users. Think of them as the user experience designers for LLMs. Their task is simplifying the interaction with AI technologies, making them accessible to the general public. Explainers will have the expertise to design intuitive systems, whether it's a command-line interface or voice activation. They will also be crucial in tailoring AI solutions for specific tasks, potentially leading to personalized AI assistants and tutors.

Sustainers

Last but not least, sustainers ensure the optimal use of AI systems. This group can be subdivided into content creators, data curators, and ethics and governance specialists. Content creators, often called prompt engineers, will fine-tune the prompts that dictate what kind of content an LLM generates. On the other hand, data curators are tasked with ensuring the quality of data that trains these models, a crucial factor in output quality. Ethics and governance specialists will oversee that LLMs do not produce biased or unethical content. Given the importance of this task, new roles, such as AI safety officers, could emerge, and entirely new regulatory frameworks could be developed.

Beyond the Obvious

The report also hints at potential growth in other areas besides these more apparent roles. For instance, it projects 39% job growth for AI and machine learning specialists in the next five years. It also indicates that the field of education, including university teachers, could see a 10% growth, signifying the escalating need for expertise in this transformative technology.

Conclusion

AI is not just about eliminating jobs; it's also a potent job creator. The rapid developments in AI and LLMs will likely open up opportunities across multiple sectors. The challenge lies in preparedness—ensuring the workforce has the necessary skills to thrive in this brave new world of AI.