- The Intelligent Age – fueled by advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and related technologies – offers unparalleled opportunities to drive innovation, enhance productivity and improve quality of life.
- It also creates an urgent need for organizations to adapt, as it promises to transform how we work, interact with technology and with each other.
- To succeed in this era, businesses must rethink their approach to work and talent development, and prioritize the responsible use of AI to ensure it is deployed ethically, equitably and safely.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is without a doubt the most consequential technological innovation of our era. With its ability to parse enormous amounts of data in real-time and provide human-like responses, AI is democratizing knowledge at a rate we’ve never seen before.
As growing access to human-like intelligence promises to transform how we work, deliver services and manage risks, there will be a significant shift in the skills needed to succeed at the workplace.
We, as business leaders, have a responsibility to invest in creating an AI-powered workforce to ensure that people thrive in the Intelligent Age. The long-term viability of businesses will rely on our ability to reimagine the entire talent journey so we can realize the exponential value we can deliver through human-AI collaborations.
Re-envisioning the role of the workforce to align to an AI-first era
AI is already transforming how we deliver services and innovate. In everyday work, AI often acts like a smart assistant with full access to the world’s information, one that can write and refine our emails, write code, develop marketing brochures and videos — tasks that only humans could perform until recently. These advancements require us to rethink how we approach work, organize our teams, what kind of skills we look for and how we deploy our talent.
In the tech industry AI can now write code that was previously written by software engineers, creating an opportunity to reimagine their roles. At Wipro, we are creating upskilling programmes to help our associates build deeper AI and role-specific skills, such as prompt engineering, data science, design principles and developing responsible AI frameworks.
This allows our engineers to better understand the logic behind the code, troubleshoot AI-generated code to ensure it is free of security risks, aligned to the project’s goals, as well as design governance principles. As a result, engineers are now able to deliver better, faster and optimal outcomes for clients while enhancing their value and job satisfaction.
Fostering an AI-first mindset by infusing AI into every company tool, process and product
We cannot truly realize the full potential of AI unless we create an AI-first mindset across the organization. The process starts by investing in infusing AI into every tool, process and product. It becomes a reality when we empower, educate and inspire everyone to embrace this technology.
Adoption will inevitably increase when employees understand how AI fits into their daily work. The more proficient they get at the technology, the more they will use it. In 2023, Wipro launched a company-wide AI training. Within less than a year, all 230,000 employees were trained on AI principles. Further, we established AI as a foundational technology for all business lines, to leverage AI in every solution developed internally and for clients.
A shift in organizational mindset doesn’t happen overnight. It is critical to take steps towards adoption now. For those who do not, catching up is likely to be an uphill battle. Business leaders must re-emphasize the significance of this technology for their companies and employees at all levels and align their AI strategy to overall business goals to drive broad-based adoption.
Re-evaluating talent management: Recruiting, developing and deploying
As AI changes how work gets done and the skills needed on the job, there will be a complete transformation of how we approach the talent journey.
We will need to re-evaluate the skills we look for in new hires. Curiosity, adaptability, problem solving and communications skills will increasingly become central to success. Candidates will need to demonstrate aptitude across a variety of business domains, along with the technical skills needed for the job.
Continuous learning will become a cornerstone of every business strategy. Business leaders will need to map out how AI will impact each function and job category and organize teams based on the specific skills needed to stay competitive. Tailored training programmes that provide ongoing reskilling and upskilling will need to be implemented.
The talent marketplace will get increasingly competitive and fluid. A new category of jobs will emerge from the transition to an AI-first era. To manage the transition, organizations will need to create flexible pathways for employees and equip them with cross-functional, transferable skills that allow them to seamlessly work across functions and disciplines.
These initiatives will need to rest on a responsible and ethical AI framework and governance model to ensure AI is deployed safely, ethically and equitably.
The transition to an AI-first era will present unique opportunities and challenges. It will require a cultural and mindset shift. Agile and dynamic talent management strategies will be key to keeping employees engaged and businesses competitive. Building partnerships between the private sector, academia, government and regulators will be essential to collective success. Ultimately, the advances in AI will open a world of new opportunities to those who embrace it. It is entirely up to us to capitalize on this moment.
https://www.weforum.org/stories/2025/01/reshaping-work-in-the-intelligent-age-building-a-future-proof-workforce/
