10 In-Demand AI Skills (and How to Build Them)

Looking to develop your AI skills? In recent years, numerous new AI tools have become available. And the invention of new technology comes with new opportunities! If you want to take advantage of these opportunities, there are many skills you can build that will help you stand out among your peers.

This post will cover five technical and five non-technical skills that can help you excel in almost any AI-related career.

Technical AI Skills

Technical skills require a bit of work to master. Here are five you can learn that will help you in specific AI-related jobs.

1. Computer Programming

If you want to get into the technical side of AI, you should develop your knowledge in computer programming languages (Python, C++, JavaScript, etc.). Learning these will allow you to create, test, and modify AI algorithms and applications.

Getting started as a computer programmer doesn’t have to be difficult. Start by picking which coding language you want to learn about, then find an applicable course, video tutorial, or book. Complete some basic coding projects and consider joining an online community to connect with mentors and other like-minded people.

2. Mathematics and Statistics

Mathematics is the study of number patterns and relationships. Statistics is the discipline concerned with data collection, analysis, and interpretation. They are both important AI skills because they provide the knowledge necessary to create AI programs that can understand, reason, and learn from experience.

There are plenty of schools, books, and online courses that can teach you about mathematics and statistics.

3. Machine Learning and Deep Learning

Deep learning is a branch of machine learning (ML). Both involve training computers to be able to adapt to new situations and learn from data without being explicitly programmed to do so. To put it in the simplest of terms, they are skills that teach computers how to act smarter.

These skills can be learned through courses or internships. Previous knowledge of computer programming is not required. Learn the theories of ML, familiarize yourself with the tools, study the algorithms, and you will be well on your way to mastering these skills.

4. Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Computer Vision

Due to the rise in popularity of AI text generators, text-to-image programs, and chatbots, NLP is a vital AI skill used to help computers understand, organize, translate, summarize, and reproduce human language (both written and oral).

Computer vision focuses on recognizing specific objects or people in images and videos. With easy-to-use generative AI tools like OpenAI, Microsoft, and Google gaining popularity, knowledge about NLP and computer vision has never been more valuable.

If you want to become an NLP scientist, you should be passionate about computer science and linguistics.

5. Proofreading and Editing

Even though there are AI programs that can write or proofread text for you, it is still useful to have the skills to edit and humanize written content for yourself.

Thanks to the abundance of generative AI tools, learning AI skills about writing, proofreading, or editing has never been more valuable.

We are pleased to offer a variety of courses designed to help you master working with text generated by AI.

Non-Technical AI Skills

Non-technical (or soft) skills don’t generally pertain to a specific job or task. Instead, they are skills that can be worked on and developed to enhance all aspects of your life. Here are some that can prove to be very beneficial when working with AI.

1. Emotional Intelligence and Communication

Emotional intelligence is valuable in almost every professional pursuit. Someone who is emotionally intelligent can express and control their own emotions and understand the emotions of others. This allows them to communicate effectively with others and build strong working relationships. AI can do many things, but it can’t replicate human emotions or form real interpersonal connections. This means these skills are still essential in the workplace.

If you want to improve your emotional intelligence and communication skills, there are several things you can do, including:

• Developing self-awareness 
• Practicing active listening 
• Learning how to manage stress
• Becoming aware of your body language (non-verbal communication)

2. Critical Thinking

It is important to be able to analyze AI content for problematic material. Some of the potential issues that a critical eye can identify include:

• Inaccurate facts
• Inconsistencies within the text
• Biased, hurtful, or possibly discriminatory content

As mentioned above, AI tools do not have any emotion, nor do they consider the emotions of others. It is for these reasons that critical thinking has become one of the most sought-after skills when dealing with AI-generated content.

3. Problem-Solving

In some cases, AI programs can process information faster than the human brain. While this is great news for efficiency, more information could mean more errors. Problem-solving skills are necessary for identifying and addressing any issues that may arise from the use of AI and coming up with solutions so that the problem doesn’t get repeated.

4. Ethics and Morality

While these aren’t conventional skills, it is a skill to be able to think ethically and apply moral considerations to anything that AI might create. If AI produces something hurtful or makes a mistake, who is responsible? Anything created by AI needs to be carefully evaluated by a real person to make sure there are no ethical or legal implications.

5. Creativity

Although AI is getting better at generating content, it still can’t emulate the creativity of the human mind. AI simply draws upon all the information that already exists in the vast online world, meaning content can often feel generic and repetitive. For the content to be truly original and interesting, it needs a human touch – someone to add personality, emotion, and nuance. The ability to effectively prompt AI tools and edit the output is, therefore, essential.

How to Use AI Effectively

If you want to take advantage of AI technologies and tools, take our course AI Prompting For Writers And Editors. It’s designed to help anyone master prompt engineering and the editing of AI content.

It’s beginner-friendly, and no previous AI experience is required.

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Top 8 Generative AI Skills for Freelance Writers A Complete Guide to Using AI for Blog Writing 5 of the Best AI Writing Tools for Freelancers Top 6 AI Skills to Learn as a Proofreader and Editor