The Fastest Way for Teams to Acquire AI Skills
John Edwards, Technology Journalist & AuthorMay 14, 20255 Min ReadNicoElNino via Alamy Stock PhotoWhen it comes to AI, yesterday's comprehensive skillset may already be obsolete. Considering AI's ultra-rapid evolution, it's now important to help team members understand and utilize the latest skills without disrupting their already heavy workloads. A mix of hands-on experience and guided learning is the best way to build AI skills, advises Justice Erolin, CTO at software outsourcing company BairesDev. "Traditional education isn't keeping up with the rapid evolution of AI, so microlearning and peer learning programs can be more effective than a university course on AI," he says in an email interview. You no longer need AI experts; you need people who know their way around AI, says Mike Loukides, a vice president at technology and business training firm O'Reilly Media. "With appropriate training, the types of people you need can be developed from the staff you already have," he explains in an online interview. "Look for data engineers -- people who know how to build data pipelines, who know how to analyze data." Keeping Pace The AI landscape changes monthly, observes David Brauchler, technical director and head of AI and ML at cybersecurity consultancy NCC Group. To stay up to date on the latest advances, engineering teams should establish a culture of knowledge sharing and collaboration, he advises in an email interview. "AI improvement is a continual process, not one that occurs piecewise." Related:It's a continual process, Loukides says. "Even if you manage to hire the perfect team of outsiders, their skills will start to go out of date immediately," he observes. "Continuous learning was never more important than it is now." Dive into hands-on projects using pre-built examples with data and evaluation techniques that are readily accessible, recommends Vamsi Duvvuri, technology, media, and telecommunications leader at business advisory firm at EY Americas. "Collaborating with diverse teams across the organization during this stage is critical, especially folks from teams that typically do not work with each other," he explains in an online discussion. A mix of perspectives can reveal blind spots and spark ideas. Consider bringing in challenger hires or even exploring acquihires, Duvvuri suggests. "Bringing in new talent who aren’t entrenched in the status quo can disrupt traditional thinking and introduce fresh, unexpected approaches." Essential Skills New team members often challenge existing processes and help spark innovation, Duvvuri says. "In some cases, if you spot an innovative startup or a talented team, acquiring them -- or even doing an acquihire -- can rapidly inject cutting-edge expertise into your organization," he notes. "This isn't just about filling a gap, it's about shaking up the norm and accelerating learning." Related:Learning how to collaborate with AI is becoming a skill in itself, Erolin observes. "Beyond technical expertise, soft-skill development will help hone the ability to collaborate with AI." Critical thinking, problem-solving, and business knowledge are key to understanding when it makes sense to use AI. A handful of universal skills stand out, Erolin says. These include: Prompt engineering for working with generative AI models. AI model evaluation and fine-tuning to ensure that models align with business goals. AI governance and ethics, especially around bias, privacy, and explainability. MLOps skills to integrate AI into production reliably and at scale. Frameworks such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, or LangChain. Avoiding Mistakes A trap many IT leaders fall into is treating AI training as a one-off event, such as holding a single course or workshop. "If you skip the continuous cycle of learning, reflection, and even disruptive talent acquisition, you risk becoming stagnant and falling behind," Duvvuri warns. "In contrast, a culture that embraces ongoing education, diverse team dynamics, and bold moves, like challenger hires, fosters innovation and resilience." Related:Application architects and developers should consider the intricacies AI introduces to application threat models and skill-up in low-sensitivity environments, Brauchler suggests. "For example, AI presents new concerns related to data risk, including its inability to reliably distinguish between trusted and untrusted content," he says. "Consequently, application designers need to consider new risks that they might not be used to addressing in traditional software stacks." A Final Thought The companies that thrive in the AI era won't be the ones with the fanciest models, but the ones with the most adaptable teams, Erolin says. "The real differentiator is your people's ability to learn, unlearn, and relearn fast." At BairesDev, we've built our success around that belief, Erolin states. "We scale AI talent globally, but we also help our partners build internal cultures that keep pace with innovation. In this space, the only real risk is standing still."About the AuthorJohn EdwardsTechnology Journalist & AuthorJohn Edwards is a veteran business technology journalist. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and numerous business and technology publications, including Computerworld, CFO Magazine, IBM Data Management Magazine, RFID Journal, and Electronic Design. He has also written columns for The Economist's Business Intelligence Unit and PricewaterhouseCoopers' Communications Direct. John has authored several books on business technology topics. His work began appearing online as early as 1983. Throughout the 1980s and 90s, he wrote daily news and feature articles for both the CompuServe and Prodigy online services. His "Behind the Screens" commentaries made him the world's first known professional blogger.See more from John EdwardsWebinarsMore WebinarsReportsMore ReportsNever Miss a Beat: Get a snapshot of the issues affecting the IT industry straight to your inbox.SIGN-UPYou May Also Like
#fastest #way #teams #acquire #skills
The Fastest Way for Teams to Acquire AI Skills
John Edwards, Technology Journalist & AuthorMay 14, 20255 Min ReadNicoElNino via Alamy Stock PhotoWhen it comes to AI, yesterday's comprehensive skillset may already be obsolete. Considering AI's ultra-rapid evolution, it's now important to help team members understand and utilize the latest skills without disrupting their already heavy workloads. A mix of hands-on experience and guided learning is the best way to build AI skills, advises Justice Erolin, CTO at software outsourcing company BairesDev. "Traditional education isn't keeping up with the rapid evolution of AI, so microlearning and peer learning programs can be more effective than a university course on AI," he says in an email interview. You no longer need AI experts; you need people who know their way around AI, says Mike Loukides, a vice president at technology and business training firm O'Reilly Media. "With appropriate training, the types of people you need can be developed from the staff you already have," he explains in an online interview. "Look for data engineers -- people who know how to build data pipelines, who know how to analyze data." Keeping Pace The AI landscape changes monthly, observes David Brauchler, technical director and head of AI and ML at cybersecurity consultancy NCC Group. To stay up to date on the latest advances, engineering teams should establish a culture of knowledge sharing and collaboration, he advises in an email interview. "AI improvement is a continual process, not one that occurs piecewise." Related:It's a continual process, Loukides says. "Even if you manage to hire the perfect team of outsiders, their skills will start to go out of date immediately," he observes. "Continuous learning was never more important than it is now." Dive into hands-on projects using pre-built examples with data and evaluation techniques that are readily accessible, recommends Vamsi Duvvuri, technology, media, and telecommunications leader at business advisory firm at EY Americas. "Collaborating with diverse teams across the organization during this stage is critical, especially folks from teams that typically do not work with each other," he explains in an online discussion. A mix of perspectives can reveal blind spots and spark ideas. Consider bringing in challenger hires or even exploring acquihires, Duvvuri suggests. "Bringing in new talent who aren’t entrenched in the status quo can disrupt traditional thinking and introduce fresh, unexpected approaches." Essential Skills New team members often challenge existing processes and help spark innovation, Duvvuri says. "In some cases, if you spot an innovative startup or a talented team, acquiring them -- or even doing an acquihire -- can rapidly inject cutting-edge expertise into your organization," he notes. "This isn't just about filling a gap, it's about shaking up the norm and accelerating learning." Related:Learning how to collaborate with AI is becoming a skill in itself, Erolin observes. "Beyond technical expertise, soft-skill development will help hone the ability to collaborate with AI." Critical thinking, problem-solving, and business knowledge are key to understanding when it makes sense to use AI. A handful of universal skills stand out, Erolin says. These include: Prompt engineering for working with generative AI models. AI model evaluation and fine-tuning to ensure that models align with business goals. AI governance and ethics, especially around bias, privacy, and explainability. MLOps skills to integrate AI into production reliably and at scale. Frameworks such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, or LangChain. Avoiding Mistakes A trap many IT leaders fall into is treating AI training as a one-off event, such as holding a single course or workshop. "If you skip the continuous cycle of learning, reflection, and even disruptive talent acquisition, you risk becoming stagnant and falling behind," Duvvuri warns. "In contrast, a culture that embraces ongoing education, diverse team dynamics, and bold moves, like challenger hires, fosters innovation and resilience." Related:Application architects and developers should consider the intricacies AI introduces to application threat models and skill-up in low-sensitivity environments, Brauchler suggests. "For example, AI presents new concerns related to data risk, including its inability to reliably distinguish between trusted and untrusted content," he says. "Consequently, application designers need to consider new risks that they might not be used to addressing in traditional software stacks." A Final Thought The companies that thrive in the AI era won't be the ones with the fanciest models, but the ones with the most adaptable teams, Erolin says. "The real differentiator is your people's ability to learn, unlearn, and relearn fast." At BairesDev, we've built our success around that belief, Erolin states. "We scale AI talent globally, but we also help our partners build internal cultures that keep pace with innovation. In this space, the only real risk is standing still."About the AuthorJohn EdwardsTechnology Journalist & AuthorJohn Edwards is a veteran business technology journalist. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and numerous business and technology publications, including Computerworld, CFO Magazine, IBM Data Management Magazine, RFID Journal, and Electronic Design. He has also written columns for The Economist's Business Intelligence Unit and PricewaterhouseCoopers' Communications Direct. John has authored several books on business technology topics. His work began appearing online as early as 1983. Throughout the 1980s and 90s, he wrote daily news and feature articles for both the CompuServe and Prodigy online services. His "Behind the Screens" commentaries made him the world's first known professional blogger.See more from John EdwardsWebinarsMore WebinarsReportsMore ReportsNever Miss a Beat: Get a snapshot of the issues affecting the IT industry straight to your inbox.SIGN-UPYou May Also Like
#fastest #way #teams #acquire #skills
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