Every worker and executive can benefit from the AI reeducation boot camp, which is being offered by Microsoft and MIT MBA.

• Microsoft's generative AI coursework has gained popularity faster than any of its IT courses, with 1.5 million learners.
• At MIT Sloan, 25,000 business professionals have completed new online courses on generative AI.
• Clara Shih, Salesforce AI CEO, stated that every individual in recruiting, sales, finance, sales and customer support is being retrained to become AI experts.

Lily Cheng, a product design director at Big Health in Silicon Valley, is an expert in the intersection of technology and behavioral change. Currently, Cheng is among the many professionals returning to school to acquire skills in generative AI, taking courses from Google, Coursera, Stanford, and online platform Maven Learning.

Cheng, a former design lead at Fitbit and a Stanford grad, stated that he has been a lifelong learner. He explained that he is currently learning about GenAI because it is transformative for the tech industry and jobs in the future. He emphasized that it is essential knowledge that must be kept up with, or one risks becoming obsolete in rapidly moving tech cycles.

The demand for workforce and professional training is increasing as new Gen AI-powered technologies emerge and skills become obsolete rapidly. Big tech players, university executive education programs from Stanford, MIT, Harvard, and others, as well as online tech education companies such as Maven, Udacity, and Udemy are helping to fill the gap.

Salesforce's Trailhead online learning platform now includes a Gen AI component, which has trained over 6 million people since 2014. The platform offers badges for completing trails and modules, with a total of 1600 badges available. Since June, over 700,000 badges have been earned for AI-specific skills, according to Ann Weeby, senior vice president of Trailhead and Learning Operations.

"We are swiftly retraining all employees in recruiting, sales, finance, customer support, and evangelizing for them to become AI experts," said Clara Shih, CEO of Salesforce AI.

In her new position as chief AI, Shih aims to educate employees and customers on safety and security risks, talent development, productivity improvements, and data management. Shih stated, "Salesforce has a growing team of 1,400 machine learning engineers and data scientists, but it's like the 90s with the internet - you didn't just hire all new people."

The AI MBA

An AI boot camp is being offered by a specialized group of instructors and recruiters, who are expanding their services beyond big tech to meet the talent needs in the AI industry. Marily Nika, a former AI product manager at Meta and Google, founded the boot camp, which combines online videos, case studies, projects, and live lectures through Maven. The boot camp charges $500 for a three-week course and $2,000 for 12 weeks, and has taught 1,500 students, most of whom used their company budget, according to Nika.

The MIT Sloan business school has updated its executive education online courses with generative AI, led by professor of management and AI expert Thomas Malone. The lessons cost $3200 and nearly 25,000 business professionals have completed the coursework, according to IT senior lecturer Paul McDonagh-Smith, who leads digital programs within the school’s executive education.

Richard Banks, a UK-based business and technology consultant, completed MIT's AI course and subsequently worked on a European project and was promoted to chief strategy officer at Sydney-based medtech company Virtus Health. Since December, he has been advising others on AI strategies and technologies through his own consulting firm.

Banks stated that although the course did not transform him into a fully-fledged AI developer, it made him a valuable business executive capable of comprehending new AI technologies and communicating in the relevant language.

In October, Northstar Travel Group, a New Jersey-based publishing, data and events company, appointed Nino Tasca, a 10-year Google veteran leading a speech recognition team, as chief products officer. Tasca aims to leverage Northstar's proprietary data to refine models and improve existing travel products. His objective is to guide the company into using AI to surpass future limitations.

Northstar has been forward-thinking since August, with a 15-member internal committee focused on sharing AI research and trade information. Janine Bavoso, Northstar's chief people officer, believes that GenAI is a game-changer and the biggest disruptor since the iPhone. She sees the workforce benefiting from the use of advanced AI, but is taking a cautious approach to leveraging this technology while understanding the risks and pitfalls.

Boardrooms are feeling the pressure

Nearly all (97%) of the 8,161 business leaders surveyed globally by Cisco Systems are under pressure to urgently deploy AI-powered technologies and believe AI will have a significant impact on their operations. However, more than two-thirds of these leaders are not fully prepared for this new era. In response, Cisco Systems is expanding its Networking Academy to include GenAI courses, as announced by senior vice president and global innovation officer Guy Diedrich.

As GenAI has the potential to disrupt and augment jobs, the skill requirements for various occupations will undergo significant changes in the future. Higher-paid, higher-educated professionals with advanced skills and expertise are likely to be impacted the most. Interestingly, Gen Zs and millennials are the most optimistic about how GenAI can help them advance in their careers. However, a survey by LinkedIn reveals that 44% of professionals globally and 57% in the U.S. believe their organizations lack policy guidelines or training for using these new tools at work.

The emergence of generative AI is causing a shift in senior corporate positions, with the addition of roles such as the AI ethicist and the chief data and analytics officer. Salesforce offers a broader AI education, including an AI certificate that validates proficiency in ethical AI use within customer relationship management, data and privacy controls, and issues related to bias, fairness, and transparency.

Fawad Bajwa, a managing director and partner at executive recruiting firm Russell Reynolds Associates who co-leads its AI, analytics & data practice globally, stated that the chief AI officer overseeing this transformation and new hires is similar to the boon of chief digital officers who led the 2010s digital transformation. He emphasized the importance of getting an anchor hire who is a talent magnet and can attract other people when building an AI team.

AI experts are increasingly valued on corporate boards, with specialists being preferred over general managers from the tech industry, according to Bajwa. Snap recently appointed two AI specialists to its advisory board, including Meeri Haataja and Patrick K. Lin.

As AI technology continues to evolve, business leaders must determine how to effectively implement GenAI strategies for a competitive edge while managing risks and separating hype from reality, according to senior partner Alex Singla of McKinsey's AI business, QuantumBlack. "We are in the early stages of this game," he said.

Concerns about a new digital divide

Tech giants offer free introductory coursework that utilizes their cloud computing, search, and email services in demonstrations. However, more advanced technical courses require payment. Additionally, there is an initiative to address concerns that the acquisition of AI knowledge and skills may exacerbate the digital divide in the workforce.

Microsoft's generative AI coursework has gained popularity faster than any of its IT courses, with 1.5 million learners. LinkedIn's research shows that job postings mentioning GPT or ChatGPT have increased 21 times since November 2022. Additionally, job titles with machine learning and other AI terms have increased 12 percent from late last year to September 2023, while applications for AI job postings are up 11 percent globally and 19 percent in the U.S.

Microsoft and LinkedIn jointly launched a generative AI skills initiative in June, offering online coursework and a professional certificate. Naria Santa Lucia, general manager of digital inclusion and community engagement at Microsoft Philanthropies, stated that the training is free as part of the company's charter to help underserved communities. The program includes AI coaches on video teaching six courses ranging from 20 minutes to over an hour, covering fundamentals such as ethics and gen AI search strategies.

Monique Escamilla, who earned a UCLA degree in informatics, was hired as a product designer and researcher at ADP and later at digital analytics specialist Heap. She left Heap before its acquisition by Contentsquare and began taking generative AI classes. Now, she is considering starting her own business, a mobile lab for under-served communities to learn how to create and design using gen AI.

Christina Chen, a startup adviser and Cambridge computer science graduate, founded AI Talent First five years ago in London. With a focus on placing minorities and women in AI roles, she has successfully placed 300 people in data science and machine learning positions. Currently, she charges companies to help them build "top GenAI squads."

Aaron Sayeb, who earned a Ph.D. in astrophysics from the University of Florida, interned at Novartis in data science and landed at Independence Blue Cross in Philadelphia more than a year ago as a machine learning researcher. Currently, he works with a team of six data scientists and software developers to finetune large language models, leading to streamlined insurance claims processes. Sayeb, whose family left Afghanistan during his childhood in the 1990s and is currently working in the U.S. on an H1B visa with plans to seek permanent residency, says that these kinds of skills are in high demand for organizations. He plans to continue taking advanced AI courses to earn certificates and stay ahead of coming technological change. While recruiters occasionally call, Sayeb intends to stay put for now.

Aaron Sayeb is currently residing in the United States on an H1B visa. An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated his visa status.