Gen AI: A gamechanger for graduates entering the workforce

This summer, a wave of new graduates will land their first jobs and enter the workforce. As they build out their new professional networks, they'll also grapple with an emerging and daunting consideration: How might generative AI affect their roles over the coming years?

In our recent study conducted with Oxford Economics, we found generative AI could disrupt the vast majority of jobs (90%) in some way by 2032. This signals significant change ahead, but it also points to an evolving workplace where employees and employers can begin embracing new opportunities for professional growth now.

In this blog, Cognizant leaders share their insights on how they think AI could impact the future of work, and their advice for new graduates on how to harness AI today to fuel their professional growth.

Be a 'learning athlete' dedicated to continuous upskilling

We're at a turning point for professional growth. Because generative AI makes human skillsets more valuable, new graduates should use this moment as a springboard to expand their capabilities, try new roles and become more versatile.

We're moving from what could be called a "structured" learning environment to an "unstructured" one. Learning is no longer an experience reserved for academic institutions, under the guidance of professors and syllabi. We're all in charge of our own learning journeys now. We need to think of ourselves as learning athletes.

I believe we'll see some of the best innovations come from humans because of this technology, and new and different career paths will emerge-and that's good news for us all.

-Kathy Diaz, Chief People Officer, Cognizant

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Gen AI is becoming as crucial as Microsoft Office once was, serving as a sophisticated assistant across sectors.

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In jobs like engineering, research, business ideation, planning and data analysis, graduates will need to learn to harness gen AI for complex challenges, such as analyzing data for ocean conservation to support UN goals.

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Merging gen AI with domain expertise enables the creation of integrated, AI-driven solutions. In logistics, for instance, gen AI can enhance fuel efficiency, balancing costs and regulations.

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Embrace AI for creativity and complex challenges

Gen AI is becoming as crucial as Microsoft Office once was, serving as a sophisticated assistant across sectors.

In jobs like engineering, research, business ideation, planning and data analysis, graduates will need to learn to harness gen AI for complex challenges, such as analyzing data for ocean conservation to support UN goals.

Merging gen AI with domain expertise enables the creation of integrated, AI-driven solutions. In logistics, for instance, gen AI can enhance fuel efficiency, balancing costs and regulations.

The workforce of tomorrow will be shaped by those adept in gen AI, using it to innovate and craft compelling business cases, ensuring their roles evolve alongside technological progress.

-Stig Martin Fiskå, Global Head, Cognizant Ocean

Scarlett Johanssonand OpenAI, the industry intends to utilize generative AI to augment, rather than supplant, human creativity.

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Gain AI proficiency by learning to work alongside it

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In media, gen AI expedites localization, and graduates entering roles that involve translation will need to begin refining translations rather than creating them. Companies like AT&T are integrating gen AI to improve learning and customer experiences. 

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Gen AI is revolutionizing the job market, automating routine tasks and reshaping industry roles. Despite concerns about AI replacing writers and actors, such as the disputes involvingScarlett Johanssonand OpenAI, the industry intends to utilize generative AI to augment, rather than supplant, human creativity.

Gain AI proficiency by learning to work alongside it

In media, gen AI expedites localization, and graduates entering roles that involve translation will need to begin refining translations rather than creating them. Companies like AT&T are integrating gen AI to improve learning and customer experiences.

The future lies in leveraging gen AI's analytical capabilities while preserving the irreplaceable human touch in creative endeavors, ensuring job security for graduates in evolving roles.

-Laurie Hutto-Hill, Vice President Consulting Services-Communications, Media and Technology, Cognizant

Blend domain expertise with AI in the future of work

In the evolving job market, banks are prioritizing technology, fostering innovation and upskilling. By 2035, advanced AI could manage finances with personalized insights, revolutionizing banking with quantum machine learning.

To seize these opportunities as they enter the banking industry, graduates must master data analysis and AI tool proficiency.

As automation and gen AI redefine work, graduates should blend domain expertise with technology to excel.

-John Da Gama-Rose, Head of Banking & Financial Services, Global Growth Markets, Cognizant

The key to thriving in the digital workforce is embracing gen AI early. This will allow them to combine human insight with AI, navigating the future's myriad career possibilities with confidence and potential.

Realize generative AI is key to professional growth

The manufacturing industry, a global economic pillar, is poised for growth, with a projected1.96 millionnew US jobs by 2028 and thesmart manufacturingmarket booming to USD 985.5 billion by 2032.

Generative AI is revolutionizing this sector, transforming everyday devices into intelligent systems that require large language models to process the resulting data deluge.

-Saurabh Mehta, Global Head of Markets, Manufacturing, Logistics, Energy & Utilities

This shift demands that graduates entering roles like analyst, engineer and operations coordinator embrace gen AI to innovate and enhance product strategies. The new workforce must integrate generative AI into their skillset, ensuring they contribute to the industry's evolution and maintain customer satisfaction through continuous product improvement.

 

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