Will AI take your job? AI has certainly been important before, but it has been working more in the background. We have seen it in map apps, facial recognition, self-driving cars, and in healthcare as support for analyses and diagnoses. But with generative AI that not only analyzes but also creates on its own, AI has become and will become even more tangible for the average person.
Much of the discussion, especially in the media, now revolves around all the jobs AI can replace. This particularly applies to traditional “office jobs”. Forecasts are pouring in – and the numbers are striking. For example, Goldman Sachs predicts that 300 million jobs worldwide could be automated. Meanwhile, British Telecom plans to replace 10,000 people, and IBM 8,000. Even Klarna is seeing the effects – they expect AI to enable growth without needing to hire more people.
In the short term, companies will be able to cut significant costs through automation. But how should one really think in this situation? Who will be the long-term winners of this shift? Is it really as simple as replacing humans with AI? Several reports instead point to a different path – that companies should use people where their efforts make a real difference, while letting technology enhance their work instead of replacing them. So it’s not about laying off staff, but about adapting. However, to succeed in this, employees need to develop new skills. On the other hand, many businesses, just like Klarna, will be able to grow without needing to recruit new staff.
One thing is clear – “prompt engineering” will, at least for the foreseeable future, be a highly sought-after skill. The reason is that much of generative AI fundamentally revolves around how to formulate questions for the technology to deliver the most accurate and relevant results. To succeed in this, special expertise is required – and this is where the prompt engineer steps in and takes a key role. It’s simply a person who knows how to ask the right questions and give the right commands to get maximum benefit from AI.
At Implema, we recently held a webinar about generative AI and business systems – an opportunity I had the privilege to lead. During the conversation, we shared concrete tips on how to get started with generative AI in practice, and not least how to bring the rest of the organization along on the journey. As a natural continuation, I therefore want to take the opportunity to highlight four simple tips again:
1. Define “Prompt engineering” as an important and necessary skill for the future
Invest in learning this. Redefine your administrative staff as prompt engineers.
2. Ensure you have drivers for your various AI initiatives, i.e., people responsible for
implementing the initiatives.
3. Have a dedicated AI budget for investments in skills and “business cases”.
4. Get help from a partner who can assist you with the technical aspects.
But, above all, get started! AI is here to stay – and offers incredibly many opportunities!
Pernilla Öhlén,
Key Account Manager
