AI Skills That Leaders Need

AI Skills That Leaders Need - from the kitchen table of Michael Legut, Ph.D.

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to advance, it has become increasingly important for employees and leaders to acquire the necessary skills to effectively utilize AI in their work. In this blog, I will recommend some key skills needed to become effective AI users.

Key Take-aways:

·       Familiarity with Machine Learning is essential for understanding how the data generated by the AI tools is created.

·       Data Analysis and Interpretation is required because AI can generate large amounts of information that must be consolidated in a way that provides an actionable picture that supports the business.

·       Programming Basics may not be a skill for all but some understanding of how program languages work can be helpful when discussing errors, biases and unusual AI results.

·       Domain Knowledge is about deciding which informational boundaries are most important to include or exclude in the AI query so that the user avoids “boiling the ocean” when using AI.

·       Ethical Awareness is a key skill to apply with AI because like any tool it can be used for the harm or benefit of consumers. If you harm your customers, you are killing your business and your reputation. 

·       Natural Language Processing (NLP) understanding the nuances of human language is a useful skill because it helps shape the specific details of the query presented to the AI tool so that the output is conceptually more accurate.

·       Image and Video Processing is an AI feature that can speed up or alter the creation of sounds and pictures that create realistic and, sometimes fake, media.

·       Neural Networks Knowledge is about understanding how the AI tool is designed and trained. When the AI input falls within the boundary of the data framework, the leader can have more confidence in the output.

·       Problem-solving and other related skills can help the AI user discover errors and apply continuous improvement methodologies to enhance AI tool applications.

·       Continuous Learning about AI technology is essential for building skills to manage the decisions and challenges that AI tools will offer.

Familiarity with Machine Learning can help create an understanding of the foundational concepts and algorithms of machine learning. The ability to understand the basics of data preprocessing, model selection, and evaluation techniques are skills needed to effectively leverage AI tools.

Data Analysis and Interpretation is about how to process AI output. Learning how to do data analysis will help you understand how to handle large datasets, extract valuable insights, and make informed decisions based on AI-driven findings. Mastery in statistical techniques and visualization tools can help you create various data views to make the AI output understandable and valuable.

Programming Basics may not be needed by everyone but a basic foundation in programming languages such as Python or R can help with understanding AI tools and frameworks. Skills with understanding data manipulation and programming logic will allow you to participate in the technical conversations related to the output of AI tools.

Domain Knowledge is related to the boundaries of the subject matter being explored. Understanding a respective domain will help define information to include or exclude for AI analysis. This expertise enables you to contextualize AI outputs, identify valuable applications, and provide useful AI applications in your daily work.

Ethical Awareness is the guidance needed to apply AI technology that benefits your business environment. When using AI tools, leaders must be conscious of ethical considerations surrounding its applications. Skills related to privacy protection, bias identification, and fairness assessment should be cultivated to effectively manage ethical considerations.

Natural Language Processing (NLP) is related to understanding the nuances of human language. Awareness of NLP enhances the ability to harness capabilities of AI-powered language models. Skills such as sentiment analysis, text classification, and language generation can enhance AI outputs.

Image and Video Processing plays a significant role in various industries. Skills related to understanding how AI image and video processing can be used is important for the evaluation of what is real and what is AI generated. Object detection, image segmentation, and video analysis are some important abilities to help differentiate the real from the fake AI outputs.

Neural Networks Knowledge is essential for tackling complex AI challenges. Skills in designing, training, and fine-tuning the neural networks that AI uses can help improve the AI algorithms to produce more accurate output.

Problem-solving skills are needed to identify and troubleshoot issues within AI models to ensure that the AI output provides business value. Employees and leaders should be skilled in problem solving techniques, error identification and continuous improvement methodologies.

Continuous Learning is about managing change. Given the rapid pace of AI advancement, employees and leaders need to cultivate a mindset of continuous learning and staying updated on the latest AI trends by attending workshops, and engaging in online learning to keep pace with the advances in this dynamic field.

 

The rise of AI presents both opportunities and challenges for leaders and employees. As organizations increasingly leverage AI technologies, individuals armed with these skills will become valuable contributors. They will be better prepared to navigate the complexities of AI, leverage its transformative capabilities, and drive value through the integration of AI into their company.

As always my goal is to help leaders understand how to improve their leadership capabilities, build effective work environments and contribute to their organization’s success. For additional consultation, I can be reached at www.leaderimage.com or on my LinkedIn.