In the age of AI, soft skills are key to success, experts say

Entry-level career ladders are getting pulled up as AI automates the tasks that once trained the newest hires. So which human skills – and which campus-to-company moves – do leaders say will still open doors? — dpa

LOS ANGELES: In the 15th century, the Gutenberg Printing Press spurred fast and cheap book production. The 19th century rolled out typewriters that accelerated record-keeping. And come the turn of the 21st century, the world wide web ushered in a digital revolution.

There's been multiple moments in history when technology threatened to overhaul the way the jobs were done, render once-steady occupations obsolete and introduce new roles, economists say. Now, the advent of artificial intelligence may be the "greatest disruption" of all, said LinkedIn's chief economic opportunity officer Aneesh Raman at a Dallas-area panel discussion on Tuesday.

A disruption, though, could mean a redirection, he said. Students can land jobs by honing the soft skills that the technology cannot replicate, said business and education leaders during a Tuesday panel at the University of North Texas that focused on the changing labour landscape.

"Things are now changing incredibly fast," said University of North Texas President Harrison Keller during the discussion, which was held on campus. "Tasks that were performed by entry-level professionals are increasingly being automated."

The panel, which was sponsored by LinkedIn, featured Raman. Alongside CEO Ryan Roslansky, he authored Open to Work: How to Get Ahead in the Age of AI, a book dedicated to helping people navigate the advent of AI.

Raman acknowledged that AI raises uncertainty and fears, especially for those on the hunt for their first jobs. He called the ascent of the buzzy technology as "the greatest disruption of work in human history."

"Work is changing, not ending," he said. "It is going to change in big ways for everyone. You could be the CEO of a company right now or the newest hire. Your jobs are going to change."

Entry-level workers in fields most exposed to AI are seeing their opportunities decrease, according to a report by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. At the same time, experienced workers, with skills that are harder for the tool to replicate, are seeing their pay increase.

Last year, the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas conducted a survey of businesses. Of 318 respondents, about 59% said they were using AI in some way, and 19% said they were planning to use AI in the future.

As a result of AI, new jobs will emerge, and humans will be pushed to rely on their entrepreneurship, Raman said. He underscores characteristics unique to humans, otherwise known as his "5 Cs": communication, creativity, compassion, curiosity and courage.

While these skills are derided as "nice to have, not must have," history says otherwise, Raman said.

"What's caused progress and prosperity across human history," Raman said, "is our ability as humans, to imagine, to invent, to create, to build."

North Texas businesses may see soft skills as an asset. A Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce survey of 100 local organisations found that employers value workers with interpersonal traits – like emotional intelligence and communication – over job-specific technical skills.

Yuliana Vazquez, who studies at University of North Texas (UNT) uses AI to craft her resumes, as she embarks on the job hunt. While the tool allowed her to apply to positions faster and at a greater volume, the quantity of those applications, she said, overtook the quality.

"It became harder to be able to put more thought into my application," Vazquez said. "I am someone who likes to do things with more intention. If I apply to something, it's because I looked into their culture."

Vazquez, who majors in business analytics, completed an internship in learning systems, helping conduct market research and using Excel sheets to identify trends. AI could complete tasks, like data entry, she said.

Nowadays, technical skills feel like they matter less, she said. Students need to learn how to optimise their people skills.

"We all were somewhere before AI," she said. "You need to learn how to leverage it in a way that you can still be your authentic self."

Businesses that succeed have employees who can effectively use the tool and pursue innovative ideas with it, Raman said. – dpa