Artificial intelligence has transformed the way we live, work, and interact with others and that’s precisely why learning how to develop AI talent across all levels of experiences and job paths is essential for any company seeking to stay on top of the game and retain and attract the best talent. In addition, committing to artificial intelligence in your business will ensure you’re staying competitive with the latest market demands and counting on professionals who are up for any challenge.
We know that focusing on AI skills can be a relatively new thing to keep in mind for many and that’s why we’ve created this article: to help you learn more about the importance of developing AI talent, how to educate your workforce about AI, and what career pathways can emerge for those who choose to focus on AI.
Ready? Let’s dive right in.
The Importance of Developing AI Talent
Before we focus too heavily on AI talent and the actual steps involved in attracting and retaining AI talent, let’s discuss the importance of developing AI talent so that there’s no doubt how vital it is for both companies and employees alike:
The job market is changing: we’re sure you know this, but the job market has shifted considerably with the introduction of AI tools and systems and to stay up-to-date with what both candidates can offer and what the market demands, focusing on AI talent is a must.
Incorporating AI demands a new outlook: AI is transformative and it has changed the way we hire, retain talent, train talent, track progress, and much more. Therefore, properly developing AI talent will help ensure that your company stays up to day with the latest industry trends.
Employees want to be ready for what’s next: part of being an attractive job option for prospective candidates is preparing your employees for their next step and nurturing their skills; with a focus on AI, candidates will know that they will grow at your company.
Retaining AI Talent In-Office
When discussing employees who already work for you, it’s important to remember that they play a equally crucial role in the AI education sphere and should also receive the same effort and development as new candidates do; helping advance their AI education and career outlook will increase employee retention, productivity, and overall contentedness at the office.
To retain in-house talent through AI education, companies can:
Ensure that AI education is linked closely to their current work: learning abstract themes or tools that won’t be of use to your employees is a good way for them to disconnect and lose interest in both their jobs and their AI education. Instead, make sure they’re learning about AI systems that can be of use to their current responsibilities or career aspirations.
Promote AI skill development through incentives: exactly what you can offer here will depend on your specific company, but you can encourage AI education through incentive programs or prizes to give your employees that extra push towards really committing to their AI education.
Offer formal education programs: some AI tools will require a deeper education and unless you have AI experts in-house, offering formal education programs to your employees in their down time or on weekends could be a great way to ensure they’re learning from the best of the best. In addition, covering the costs of these courses is a great way to attract new talent.
Prioritize staying up-to-date with the latest in AI: AI is moving at an incredible speed and your employees’ learning journey won’t be a one and done situation; by giving employees the chance to attend workshops, conferences, or speeches about AI, you’ll be providing them the opportunity to stay up-to-date with the sector and bring what they’ve learned back to work.
Recruiting and Retaining AI-Talent
Source: https://www.bcg.com/publications/2023/how-to-attract-develop-retain-ai-talent
No matter what your AI goals are for the future, one thing is clear: companies that want to remain competitive will have to learn how to both recruit and retain talent, nurturing their employees so that they’ll take what they’ve learned and put it into the business. And through anticipating, attracting, developing, and engaging, they can do just that.
Anticipating AI talent
A crucial part of developing AI talent is understanding the current market and deciding how they will prioritize AI moving forward. This means looking at the company from a more holistic perspective and ensuring that the jobs for which they’re hiring are specific to the company and not general roles that will be much harder to fill–and to put to use.
To properly anticipate AI talent, companies should:
Reflect on their business needs to ensure they’re recruiting for positions that will actually benefit the business.
Look for candidates with diverse backgrounds who are ready to fill needs as they emerge instead of candidates who are locked into specific responsibilities.
Recognize the importance of AI in all departments and areas, not just IT or data.
Attracting AI talent
Talented employees with AI skills are highly demanded right now and this creates an incredibly competitive job market for companies wishing to hire this talent. And to be seen as attractive options for these skilled candidates, companies must refocus their efforts and become a place where this top talent wants to work.
To do so, companies can:
Ensure that they’re offering development and educational opportunities to candidates who join their teams, betting on their future potential.
Offer unique and interesting projects that other competitors simply don’t have.
Diversify their talent hunt and focus on areas with less demand than the major tech hubs.
Developing AI talent
You’re probably well aware that it’s much more cost efficient to develop AI talent in-house than look for it in other places; companies that invest in their own employees and offer them reskilling opportunities are also more likely to retain said employees.
By developing AI talent in-house, companies can:
Reduce hiring costs and improve employee loyalty and engagement.
Benefit from more security and lower individual costs when it comes to employees.
Benefit from employees who are more dedicated to their company and their work.
Engaging AI talent
You don’t want to attract AI talent with stories of false innovation and development; if you’re just starting out with your AI focus, you may find it hard to attract top AI talent or retain what you already have. However, this is a crucial step of the entire AI development pipeline.
To engage AI talent, companies can:
Offer interesting and captivating projects for employees to keep them interested.
Give employees free time to harness their own creativity for their own projects.
Offer a unique and personalized experience that big tech companies can’t guarantee.
As you can see, the steps towards attracting and retaining AI skills in your company are doable–but they will require time and effort on your part to ensure that you’re offering the best possible AI experience for skilled talent. And short AI courses like those by AI School by Ironhack are the perfect place to start–check them out and see if any match your business needs.
You never know--your company could become the next big destination for AI talent.
