Artificial intelligence (AI) and smart technologies are transforming the world of work, creating new opportunities and challenges for workers and employers alike. According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2023, some of the fastest-growing jobs in the next five years will be related to AI, machine learning, data science, and environmental protection. Here are the 10 most important future jobs in the AI and smart world, based on the report and other sources.
Autonomous and electric vehicle specialists: These professionals design, develop, test, and maintain vehicles that can operate without human intervention or use electricity as their main source of power. They need skills in engineering, software development, robotics, and battery technology. They are expected to see a 40% growth rate by 2023.
AI and machine learning specialists: These experts create, train, and deploy algorithms that can learn from data and perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as natural language processing, computer vision, and recommendation systems. They need skills in mathematics, statistics, programming, and cloud computing. They are expected to see a 39% growth rate by 2023.
Environmental protection professionals: These workers monitor, assess, and protect the natural environment from pollution, climate change, and other threats. They need skills in ecology, geology, chemistry, and environmental law. They are expected to see a 35% growth rate by 2023.
Sustainability specialists: These professionals help organizations adopt sustainable practices that reduce their environmental impact, improve their social responsibility, and increase their economic performance. They need skills in business analysis, project management, communication, and ESG standards. They are expected to see a 34% growth rate by 2023.
Fintech engineers: These engineers develop and implement innovative solutions that use technology to improve the delivery and efficiency of financial services, such as payments, lending, insurance, and investing. They need skills in software engineering, cryptography, blockchain, and data security. They are expected to see a 33% growth rate by 2023.
Business analysts: These analysts help organizations understand their problems, needs, and opportunities by collecting, analyzing, and presenting data and information. They need skills in analytical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and domain knowledge. They are expected to see a 32% growth rate by 2023.
Information security analysts: These analysts protect organizations’ data and systems from cyberattacks, breaches, and unauthorized access. They need skills in network security, encryption, malware analysis, and ethical hacking. They are expected to see a 31% growth rate by 2023.
Data analysts: These analysts process, clean, and interpret large amounts of data to extract insights and support decision-making. They need skills in data manipulation, visualization, statistics, and programming. They are expected to see a 31% growth rate by 2023.
Data scientists: These scientists apply advanced techniques such as machine learning, deep learning, neural networks, and natural language processing to complex data problems and generate actionable solutions. They need skills in data science tools. They are expected to see a 30% growth rate by 2023.
Software architects: These architects design the overall structure and functionality of software systems that meet the requirements and specifications of clients or users. They need skills in software engineering principles, design patterns, programming languages like Java, Python, or Scala, and software testing tools like Selenium or JUnit. They are expected to see a 30% growth rate by 2023.
These are some of the most important future jobs in the AI and smart world that will require high levels of technical expertise, creativity, innovation, and adaptability. However, there are also many other jobs that will not be replaced by AI, such as those that require human judgment, communication, emotional intelligence, physical dexterity, and mobility. Some examples are agricultural equipment operators, drivers of heavy trucks and buses, vocational education teachers, mechanics, and machinery repairers. Therefore, workers should be prepared to learn new skills, reskill,or upskill throughout their careers to stay relevant and competitive in the changing labor market.