Unpopular opinion: Knowing how to use AI, by itself, will NOT build you a great career. Here is why.
Technology makes you more efficient — no question about it. But when EVERYONE is using the same technology, everybody’s efficiency goes up equally.
Result: The baseline expectation goes up.
E.g., if your job was to summarize a long discussion and email all its participants, earlier you would take 2 hrs. Now, with chatGPT, you can do it in 10 minutes.
But will it get you accolades? Nope — your manager will expect you to do it in 10. That is the new baseline.
Of course, you still need to know how to use these AI tools to keep your job. But it won’t be enough to thrive.
The core skills that mankind has most valued — problem-solving, leadership skills, people skills, good communication, learnability — will not change. AI might help here and there (e.g., with learning), but it won’t replace them.
So please don’t stop reading books. Don’t stop learning how to write and speak with clarity. Don’t stop upskilling in your craft. Don’t give up on building your leadership skills.
The world is changing but it is not coming to an end.
– Rajan