According to a new report, in the U.K. up to a third of jobs are set to become automated or will change in some form or other as a result of the emergence of artificial intelligence, and this will impact upon 10.5 million workers. This is based on data produced by the British Academy.
The report is titled “Harnessing the Power of AI: The Demand for Future Skills” and it has been compiled by recruiter Robert Walters and market analysis experts Vacancy Soft. The report highlights how businesses are accumulating vast amounts of data and are seeking the integration of technologies and processes. To maximize these activities, artificial intelligence and people with the right types of skills are both essential.
Commenting on the report, in relation to the impact upon specific professions, Robert Walters says: “What has been the most interesting to see is the emergence of data scientist as a mainstream profession, with job vacancies increasing by a staggering 110 percent year-on-year.” He adds: “The same trend can be seen with data engineers, averaging 86 percent year-on-year job growth.”
Overall the workforce needs to be able to work with data and digitization, and this requires new role and new ways of working. Employers are beginning to prioritize job candidates with AI skills.
Top main industries investing in AI are:
1. Agriculture
2. Business Support
3. Customer Experience
4. Energy
5. Healthcare
6. Intellectual Property
7. IT Service Management
8. Manufacturing
9. Technical Support
10. Retail
This trend is reflected globally. IT professionals who work within the area of data management are part of the fastest growing area within global firms. Globally, all forms of data roles have increased by 80 percent since 2015.
It is also noticeable that the role of data scientist is now a mainstream profession in many companies. Another role that has shown growth are IT security professionals, which reflects the rise of cybercrime especially within banking and financial services.
At the same time, there has been a structural shift in the labor market with the technological displacement of mid-skilled jobs, which also reflects the shifts towards more niche and specialist data management roles.
