Meet the future head-on with AI
AI is changing the nature of work – how you can get ahead of the curve
Artificial intelligence is everywhere, promising radical transformation in every sector, from healthcare to transportation, from content creation to scientific research. Does the rise of AI mean that human intelligence will soon be unneeded in the workforce? Will people be replaced, en mass, by bots? And what could that mean for you?
Dr. Shlomo Engelson Argamon is the new Associate Provost for Artificial Intelligence and Professor of Computer Science at Touro University Graduate School of Technology, and he doesn’t see catastrophe looming. “There’s a lot of talk that AI will put everyone out of work. I don’t think that’s going to happen – but a lot of people are going to have to upskill or be left behind.”
While that’s good news for the future of work, it also means big changes are coming for many workers. Employees in nearly every field will not only need to have a thorough understanding of how AI works, but they’ll also need to approach it with a sense of curiosity and a willingness to embrace all the ways it can transform their work. The workers that do so will be in high demand, but those that don’t will likely struggle.
Fortunately, AI deployment is still in its infancy – so workers still have some time to develop the skills they’ll need to incorporate it and evolve with it. (But don’t wait too long!)
Read on to learn more about how AI is changing the world today and how you can build the knowledge you’ll need to capitalize on whatever it brings tomorrow.
Unlocking the possibilities of AI
AI is already present in our everyday lives – from smart light bulbs that turn off when the family leaves the house to online shopping recommendations and automatically generated summaries of product reviews. It’s beginning to reshape numerous industries, affecting everything from how doctors take notes during appointments to the ways business analysts interpret data – and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
“AI is something all professions and organizations can use,” Shlomo stresses. “Just like a car lets you travel faster and farther, or a tractor does more plowing than a horse ever could, AI enables knowledge workers to do a lot more with what they have.”
That makes it a useful tool for employees in industries from marketing and design to architecture and engineering. People can use it to automate repetitive aspects of their work, customizing it to imitate their own methods and style so that they can deliver the same quality of results in significantly less time. As AI takes over some of the mundane tasks, workers will be able to shift focus to tasks and projects that are more strategic or creative.
Shlomo also notes that AI does do some aspects of creative work, but he doesn’t believe that it will eliminate the need for creative people. “AI can enhance the creative process and makes it more efficient, but the human element is still essential,” he says.
In fact, he believes that’s true of AI on a broader level as well. “AI should not be approached as something you put in place and then just let go – you always have to have people in the loop,” he stresses. “We should think of AI as ‘augmented intelligence – people are inherently part of the process, and any conversation about AI should consider deeply the human element as well.”
Touro Graduate School of Technology’s New AI Programs
Teaching humans to understand and use AI is the first step toward unlocking its potential, and that’s the driving force behind Touro University Graduate School of Technology’s brand new graduate certificate and master’s programs in AI. Set to launch this fall, the programs are for anyone in any industry who wants to build their knowledge of AI as a way to upskill or enhance their current work functionality.
“AI is a moving target – the technology of today is not the technology of tomorrow – and we need to ensure that our students are prepared to use the AI that will be there when they graduate as well as that of the coming decades. That’s why both our new certificate and master’s programs are built on teaching students fundamental concepts, as well as specific methods and tools that rely on them,” Shlomo explains. “Our graduates will thus be able to learn the new AI tools as they come out, tools which do things that we probably can’t even imagine now.” Additionally, through faculty mentoring the school will seek to inculcate an attitude of adaptability and agility, so students can more easily embrace changes as they come.
The certificate program in Applied AI will comprise three courses, and can be completed in one semester full time, or in two to three part-time. The master’s program in AI Systems will comprise ten courses, including courses in foundations of AI, project management, a capstone project, and electives.
Students will have the opportunity to choose from a variety of elective courses including in data science and analytics; the ethical, social, and economic issues of AI; how AI will change the nature of work; AI application areas; and specific AI techniques, like design and computer vision.
Courses will be available both in-person and fully online, giving students the flexibility to take it at their own pace and on their own schedule. The certificate program will also lay the groundwork for students who eventually want to pursue a graduate degree in AI or in another area of technology, with credits from the certificate counting towards the AI master’s program, as well as some of Touro GST’s other graduate programs.
Choosing between a certificate and a six week bootcamp
For those students not ready or interested in investing in a full master’s program, it can be hard for students to know what kind of certificate or other program is really beneficial. There are plenty of online programs and bootcamps that claim to build AI skills, and while they do provide students with some knowledge, Shlomo explains that most of those programs online provide a narrow, skills-based education.
In contrast, the Touro GST AI certificate helps students to develop what he calls “a broader, deeper foundation that applies to a diversity of backgrounds.” He also points out that many programs focus only on generative AI, and while that’s useful right now, it doesn’t necessarily prepare students for the future. “The AI that is currently dominating is one particular flavor, and it’s powerful and useful. However, we want to teach the full gamut and provide broad context so that our students can grow with whatever is coming.”
Ultimately, the Touro GST AI certification program will give students a solid base of knowledge of how AI works – and how to work with it safely and effectively today and tomorrow. “Our graduates won’t just be competent, they’ll have the knowledge they need to become the innovators and leaders in the field.”
Tapping into innovation beyond imagination
Once students graduate one of Touro GST’s AI programs, they’ll open the door to new opportunities – many of which probably don’t even exist at the moment. For example, Shlomo points out that just a few years ago, no one had ever heard of a prompt engineer, but today that job is in high demand. As AI becomes more capable, new jobs will emerge that use it, optimize it, oversee it, and more.
While graduates will be prepared for new AI-focused roles like prompt engineer, they’ll also be able to apply their knowledge of AI in the fields where they already work. “We’re looking at AI as something that’s for everyone,” Shlomo says. “Once workers learn how to use AI, we’ll have AI-powered marketers, designers, analysts – and the list goes on. They’ll learn how to use it effectively to do their jobs and find new ways to do these professions.”
On top of that, Shlomo says that as people gain knowledge of AI, they’ll push it to uncover imaginative new applications. “We can’t predict the effect of new technologies, for good and for bad,” he expounds. “People figure out new ways to use tech and do unexpected things. Eventually, our students will use the skills they’ve built to become the innovators – and then the tech will evolve to match, creating a self-reinforcing cycle of innovation.”
That’s one of the aspects of this new program that most excites him. “I see my job as an educator and facilitator as giving students conceptual tools that empower them to unlock their own potential,” he enthuses. “With a broad knowledge of AI concepts and tools, they’ll be able to tap into their own creativity with unexpected results, develop new methods of working and expressing themselves, and flourish in ways I can’t even imagine.”
If you’re ready to unlock your potential and embrace the opportunities that AI will bring, contact Touro GST today to learn more about the brand new AI certificate and how you can enroll this fall. Then, look forward to a future where you’re prepared to flourish!