AI Means You May Need New Skills for Your Job

A new report out of Ireland suggests that nearly two-thirds of jobs will need people to learn new skills because of artificial intelligence (AI). This isn't about AI taking all our jobs, but rather changing how we do them. Think of it like when computers first came into offices – people still did their work, but they needed to learn how to use a keyboard and mouse.

For Australian small business owners, parents, and workers, this report highlights a growing trend. AI tools are becoming more common in workplaces, from helping with customer service to automating paperwork. This means workers might find themselves using AI to be more efficient, rather than being replaced by it. It's about adapting and adding new tools to your professional kitbag.

Reskilling simply means learning new skills or updating existing ones. For example, if you're in administration, you might learn how to use AI to draft emails faster or summarise long documents. Or if you're a tradie, there might be AI-powered tools that help with planning or site safety. The key message is that learning throughout your career will become even more crucial.

Governments and employers will likely play a big role in helping people gain these new skills. We could see more training programs and courses designed to help the workforce embrace these changes. It's an opportunity for Australia to stay competitive and ensure our workers are ready for the future. The good news is that many of these new skills will focus on working *with* AI, not against it, which can often make our jobs more interesting and less repetitive.