Trying to keep up with today’s rapidly changing workforce feels like having a full-time job on top of my full-time job. Of course, I want to do my job well and keep up with my industry, but learning new processes and technologies all the time is exhausting. I long for workdays uncomplicated by technology and “the next best thing.” But the increasing use of AI at work is proof that I need to start embracing change. As much as I’d like to ignore it, things are only going to continue to evolve.
When I saw that LinkedIn’s Skills on the Rise report reported that AI literacy is the fastest-growing and most in-demand skill there is, I had an important realization: Just because my job hasn’t become obsolete due to AI technologies doesn’t mean I’m in the clear. These days, not learning how to use AI can put my job at risk and negatively impact my career progression.
To understand more about why AI literacy is so important, particularly for already employed professionals, I tapped LinkedIn Career Expert Catherine Fisher for her insight. Ahead, everything you need to know about AI literacy, including what it is and why you need it to survive the future of the workforce—plus, where to start if you’ve been ignoring AI as long as I have.
Catherine Fisher
Catherine Fisher is LinkedIn’s Career Expert and Vice President of Integrated Consumer Communications. In her current role, Catherine leads consumer communications strategy for LinkedIn and serves as the company spokeswoman, educating and inspiring people on how to grow their careers. Catherine is also the creator and writer of Career Companion, a LinkedIn newsletter where she offers tips and advice to navigate the rapidly changing world of work.
What is AI literacy?
AI literacy is a soft skill that combines the ability to use AI tools effectively with critical thinking, problem-solving, and digital communication. It’s about understanding how to interact with AI thoughtfully and responsibly. So, it is not about being a tech whiz who can code and program like nobody’s business. Rather, it’s about knowing how to use AI tools and apply AI-generated information.
Having AI literacy means you know how AI systems gather and process data, you know its limitations, and you know how to ethically use its features to your advantage. The latter encompasses things like using AI as a virtual assistant or as a tool for gathering research. Ultimately, having AI literacy means having the tools to successfully (and responsibly) leverage it, especially at work.
How having AI literacy can enhance your job security
Obviously, no one knows what the future holds; it’s impossible to say with 100 percent certainty what your career will look like down the road. But one thing is certain: Having AI literacy can help safeguard your employment. This can be attributed to the fact that, as a whole, possessing AI literacy makes you a more valuable employee. Not only does it prove that you’re capable of using AI tools, but it also shows that you possess essential meta skills, like adaptability. Employees with diverse skill sets are crucial in today’s market, especially as companies downsize to cut costs and ask workers to take on broader roles. Basically, the more you know about AI, and the more you show that you’re capable of growing alongside big changes, the safer your job will be.
“Eighty-one percent of C-suite leaders say they’ll hire less experienced candidates over qualified ones if they know how to use AI tools.”
Likewise, a member of the LinkedIn team recently revealed to me that 81 percent of C-suite leaders say they’ll hire less experienced candidates over qualified ones if they know how to use AI tools. This, combined with the belief that AI will start to take over the manual and repetitive tasks entry-level employees are typically responsible for, suggests that not being AI literate increases your chances of landing on the chopping block.
Lastly, LinkedIn Career Expert Catherine Fisher says, “If you’re not learning AI, you risk falling behind.” While it can feel exhausting trying to keep up with all the rapid changes AI is spurring in the workforce, the fact of the matter is that everyone has to adapt. Otherwise, you’ll hold yourself back. This, consequently, will lead to missed opportunities in your career; you might get passed up for a promotion, denied a pay raise request, or even lose your job to someone else who knows AI.
How to strengthen your AI literacy
Based on the information above, it seems evident that becoming literate with AI is crucial for job protection. Acknowledging this is one thing, though—putting it into practice is another completely. Undertaking the task of learning AI can admittedly feel like a tall order, especially if you’re new to AI, which is why Fisher recommends starting small and working your way up. This will make becoming more efficient with AI less intimidating and overwhelming, and therefore easier to stay the course.
To do this, get familiar with the fundamentals of AI, like the right language to use and how to analyze AI-generated content, by playing around with AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude. Doing this will show you how to successfully navigate AI software, as well as all the ways you can leverage this tool. While this can be done for tasks in and outside of work (like creating meeting agendas or making grocery lists), it’s important to remember that every company and industry has specific guidelines for using AI responsibly and ethically. These guidelines vary, but the general gist of using AI responsibly at work means using it as a tool to enhance efficiency and productivity—it is not meant to do your job for you. For example, I can use AI to draft catchy article headlines, but I cannot use it to write an entire article for me.
“The more you know about AI, and the more you show that you’re capable of growing alongside big changes, the safer your job will be.”
Once you’ve gotten the hang of the basics, you can then look into courses that can deepen your AI expertise. If your employer offers continuing education courses, ask your boss if they have any courses on AI. Not only is this a great way to leverage your company’s benefits, but it also shows your ongoing commitment to adapting and evolving with the times. There’s also a plethora of courses online that’ll help you become more efficient with AI. Coursera and LinkedIn Learning are great platforms for this, with the latter offering over 1,500 AI-centered options, according to Fisher.
The bottom line is that procrastinating learning AI only does more harm than good. The workforce and every industry in it are changing because of AI, and employees everywhere need to keep up. In fact, not keeping up only makes us more vulnerable to getting left behind or, worse, replaced by someone else with AI prowess. At the end of the day, being proactive and gaining AI literacy is the best thing we can all do for ourselves professionally.
Arianna Reardon, Contributing Writer
Arianna is a freelance writer and journalist, and the self-proclaimed hot and dirty martini queen. At The Everygirl, Arianna uses her authenticity and relatability to empower, inspire, and motivate women everywhere. Whether she’s writing about sex and relationships, career and finance, beauty and fashion, wellness, or home and living, Arianna’s passion shines through in all her work.
