In some ways, AI is still a niche. Of 38,000 specialties listed in LinkedIn’s taxonomy of skillsets, just over 100 are considered AI skills.
Yet the truth is that AI is everywhere already and its presence is only growing.
Thomson Reuters recently announced salient updates to its multi-year global strategy in generative artificial intelligence. The updates emphasize additional investment into the rapidly advancing technology, including resources toward upskilling workers—to a total tune of US$100 million per year.
The actively hiring Toronto-based company has a history steeped in tech adoption, including the early days of AI, and is eager to remain positioned “at the forefront of the AI movement,” according to Steve Hasker, chief executive of Thomson Reuters.
“We have demonstrated our commitment through the annual investment of more than $100 million in AI,” the CEO stated.
Hasker says Thomson Reuters is focused on investing in programs to enable learning and development for its 26,000 colleagues globally who use AI across every team.
Based on company data and the firm’s AI ethics framework, the company is delivering training and technology to increase colleagues’ understanding of AI, including pathways with specialized options for technologists and customer-facing sales teams, he says.
“Professionals have our unwavering commitment and support as they safely navigate the opportunities and challenges provided by the evolving AI landscape,” continued Hasker. “This is an exciting time as the Thomson Reuters team plans to expand, scale, and upskill at pace.”
Thomson Reuters Labs has also created Open Arena, an enterprise-wide large language model learning environment. This platform which has helped unlock company-wide experimentation with Gen AI, according to a statement from the company, with more than 1,000 employees already having used the Arena to learn about and practice with AI tech.
“AI will revolutionize and transform the future of work for professionals across the globe,” Hasker believes.
To be a part of the revolution, skillsets will need to be bolstered. In some cases, organizations may need to rethink their training programs. For those who can afford it, a $100 million annual investment might do the trick.
Thomson Reuters’ recent “Future of Professionals” report posited that, if AI continues to permeate the professional sphere as Hasker predicts, the need for adaptive strategies will become imperative. Workers will be wise to ensure they remain up-to-date on relevant skills, whether that’s through their employer’s training or upskilling on their own accord.
“The rapid integration of technologies across various industries is outpacing the human capacity to keep pace,” observed Darian Kovacs, founder of Vancouver SEO firm Jelly Digital Marketing and digital marketing school Jelly Academy, in September.
If skills are going to evolve at a rapid pace over time, then we must improve on front-loaded training methods.
“Gone are the days when a degree or diploma guaranteed a lifelong career,” Kovacs wrote for Tech Talent Canada. “We believe that embracing lifelong learning, and digital up-skilling, in particular, is a means to bridge the talent gap that keeps on growing.”
