Four AI Skills You Need to Know

This article is written by Girls Who Code, a nonprofit organization dedicated to closing the gender gap in technology.

Technology-related roles are projected to be the fastest-growing jobs that will shape the global labor market by 2030. The World Economic Forum predicts that the need for AI and big-data skills will skyrocket by 87% over the next five years—continually expanding into areas like cybersecurity, quantum computing, and more.

Artificial intelligence is transforming the tech industry. It is creating new jobs and driving demand for specialized skills. For an aspiring tech professional, getting a head start on AI education is key to future-proofing your career. But to know which skills matter most, you first need to understand where AI is headed.

Understanding the Future of AI

When ChatGPT and Claude launched to the public, they brought large language models (LLMs) into the spotlight. LLMs are machine-learning models trained on vast amounts of text data. When integrated into applications like ChatGPT, they can understand human language and provide direct answers to questions. While LLMs and LLM-based applications continue to be a great resource for students and workers, ongoing AI development has shifted the industry’s focus to something a bit more sophisticated: AI agents.

Built on top of LLMs, AI agents are complex systems that blend multiple technical fields. Unlike basic LLMs, these agents tackle complex tasks on their own. They can go far beyond answering simple questions.

If this sounds complicated, don’t worry. Here’s an example that should help clear things up:

If you ask an LLM-based application like ChatGPT or Claude a question, it will give you an answer to that question. Then it will wait for your next instruction. For example, if you provide the prompt “What are the top things I could do on my trip to Boston, Massachusetts?” it might respond with a list of popular attractions: “Freedom Trail, Fenway Park, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Harbor, and Quincy Market.” It will give you information, but you’ll still have to do the planning.

In contrast, an AI agent could take a request like “Plan my weekend trip to Boston” and independently . . .

• Check weather forecasts to suggest appropriate activities;

• Find attractions matching your specific interests and preferences;

• Discover well-reviewed restaurants that fit your dietary needs;

• Compare hotel options and make reservations for you;

• Book tickets for shows or attractions that might sell out;

• Create a complete itinerary optimized for location and timing.

AI agents are autonomous. This means that they can figure out what information they need, what tools to use, and in what order to tackle tasks—all on their own. Their value as problem-solving tools has pushed them to the forefront of AI development. They’ll be the focus of innovation in the AI industry for the foreseeable future.

Skill #1: Learn How to Learn

Over the next few decades, AI technology will continue to evolve. AI proficiency will become essential in technical fields.

You’ll need to become a lifelong learner, constantly adapting to new technologies while maintaining strong fundamentals in computing and programming. By mastering engineering and AI skills today, you can jump-start your tech career and establish habits for continuous growth.

Lifelong Learning Tips

• Develop curiosity as a habit. Ask questions about how things work and why things are the way they are.

• Create a learning routine that fits your lifestyle. Even 15–30 minutes daily can make a significant difference over time.

• Mix up your learning sources. Try books, podcasts, courses, hands-on projects, and conversations with experts.

• Find or build a community of fellow learners who can provide support and new perspectives. Girls Who Code has a built-in community that provides peer support for each of its programs. 

Skill #2: Collaborative Problem-Solving

AI agents are inherently complex. They’ll grow more sophisticated as technology advances. Building them requires more than just programming expertise. Future tech professionals will need to collaborate effectively across disciplines while adapting to rapidly evolving AI capabilities.

CAREY WAGNER PHOTOGRAPHY

This creates demand for collaborative problem-solving skills and an understanding of how your individual role in a project fits into a larger system. It involves navigating competing priorities and complex constraints. You’ll need to communicate effectively on new challenges that are impossible for one person to solve alone.

The value of collaboration cannot be overstated. Effective teamwork will be indispensable in the future tech workplace.

Skill #3: Awareness of AI Ethics and Legal Considerations

AI is now on every company’s radar. But there are few guardrails to ensure its responsible use. Businesses are racing to implement these tools, sometimes without proper safeguards, setting themselves up for ethical missteps and potential legal consequences.

For example, 99% of today’s Fortune 500 companies use AI-based and automated tools in their hiring processes. Unfortunately, some studies have shown that these tools exhibit biases. This may limit job opportunities for certain groups.

Then there’s the case of generative AI, which raises flags about the ethical use of others’ data and work. Content created with generative AI can also contain inaccuracies. This can lead to major errors in everything from news articles to legal documents and computer code.

As a future tech worker, you’ll need to know more than technical skills—you’ll need to understand the ethical and legal implications of AI use, regularly check your code for biases, and collaborate with legal experts to reduce risk.

Skill #4: Cybersecurity Education and Preventing Shadow AI

In addition to questions of ethics and legality, AI poses a threat to cybersecurity. Today, many employees use LLMs and AI agents to increase their productivity. This can be great—that is, as long as they are company approved. Unfortunately, many employees go rogue with their AI use. This can lead to major problems.

Unauthorized AI programs, also known as “shadow AI,” threaten data privacy and security. Roughly half of all employees are shadow AI users. This number is only expected to grow as LLMs and AI agents become more and more commonplace.

Popular AI tools like ChatGPT offer companies access to corporate enterprise accounts with added safeguards. These safeguards ensure that employee-entered data won’t be used for public training models, risking future source data leaks. Unfortunately, the majority of employees continue to use their personal accounts in the workplace, foregoing these added security measures. A recent study from data-security company Cyberhaven found that 73.8% of employees using ChatGPT for work used personal accounts rather than corporate ones. That percentage was even higher for some other AI tools. 

These numbers are especially concerning when you account for the amount of sensitive data being fed into shadow AI accounts. When it comes to AI use in legal fields—for example, using AI tools to draft documents like settlement agreements or merger contracts—82.8% is done through personal, shadow AI accounts. 

As AI becomes more prominent, you’ll need to regularly evaluate the safety of AI tools. As an employee, you’ll need to follow company policies, protecting your organization’s data and cybersecurity. 

Preparing for an AI-Driven Future

Over the next few years, AI will undoubtedly shape the job market. Thankfully, there are concrete steps you can take to prepare. You can commit to lifelong learning, taking the time to experiment with emerging technologies like AI agents. You can hone your skills as a collaborative problem-solver, learning how to work with multiple teams with diverse expertise. With an awareness of ethical and legal risks, plus strong  cybersecurity practices, you can protect yourself and your place of work. By staying up to date with your AI education, you can drive innovation while ensuring a secure, ethical, and responsible future.