Whether we like it or not, artificial intelligence is changing the way we work. Proficiency in AI has become an important tool for workers and job seekers – they rely on technology to generate ideas, automate tasks, analyze data, craft cover letters, and more.
Research shows that more of us tend to be AI to help us work. According to Zety’s 2025 Future or Work Report, 95% of employees are actively participating in training or taking other measures to improve their AI skills, while 71% have already used AI at work. Discovering that their employers are able to provide AI-powered tools at any time, they surveyed more than 1,100 people at LiveCareer.
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The idea of embracing AI can be daunting for this technology. But learning to learn it in a productive and moral way is not as difficult as it seems. Although the term “AI skills” covers the computational skills needed to design and build AI tools, not all AI skills are.
Artificial intelligence literacy, understanding what AI can do and how AI systems can be used, is an important capability that anyone can develop.
When we talk about AI, we tend to consider tools like Chatgpt, Copilot, or Gemini. These are examples of generating AI, which uses existing data to create new content such as text, images, videos, and music. The key to using these tools is the ability to write good tips – questions, messages, or sentences that can affect the quality of the output you receive.
“Workers in any industry can benefit from learning how to write great tips for chatbots like Gemini and Chatgpt,” said Martin Poduška of Kickresume. “We recently looked at AI usage at work and found that 78% of workers in many different industries use these tools in some way. Knowing what is included in the tips to get the results you want is a skill everyone benefits from development.”
AI tools are not foolproof, so it is important to verify any facts and numbers provided in the output. ·Surasak suwanmake by Getty Images
To write a good tip, keep your instructions concise, direct and conversational. For example, outlining the context of the prompt, for example, if you ask the AI to write an email to a customer, you might want to tell it is professional. If you don’t have the first attempt to get the results you want, you can refine the prompts by changing the word or phrase.
AI tools are not foolproof, so it is important to verify any facts and numbers provided in the output and double-check any references. Typically, AI output can be filled with fuzzy “fill” text and buzzwords. In a paper published in 2024, scholars highlighted the spread of “careless voice” online – AI-generated outputs that contain “subtle inaccuracies, over-overviews, or biased responses” that properly express the wording.
“Being able to critically evaluate the text or images created by generating AI is a specific digital literacy skill that will become more important as AI is used more and more frequently,” Poduška said. “Workers should always look for false or ‘illusion’ error or misleading outputs in texts and should develop their research skills in texts to double-check their accuracy.”
Strategic AI integration is key, says Rose Luckin, a learner-centric design professor and education expert at University College London. Essentially, the goal is to use AI to supplement and improve human work, rather than to fully automate it.
“This involves understanding how to effectively incorporate AI tools to enhance human capabilities and recognizing that AI can enhance decision-making, develop critical assessment skills to evaluate AI output and maintain human supervision and judgment,” she said.
Artificial intelligence is helpful to workers in all sectors. ·A half-point image through Getty image
Poduška added that he was curious about the way to save time using AI. “A good example is using a chatbot to outline long-term content like reports or emails, which can be helpful if you are working on something else and need to refresh your memory,” he said.
“There are a lot of AI tools that can be easily used for tasks that don’t require you to learn any coding, you just need to be open to trying something new.
It is also crucial to recognize the limitations of technology. AI lacks human qualities such as creativity, emotional intelligence, judgment and real contextual understanding.
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For example, AI may be able to write emails to disgruntled customers, but it may lack “human touch” and may eventually stimulate them more. Similarly, over-reliance on AI-driven recruitment tools means eliminating human intuition from the recruitment process, which can lead to talented applicants being ignored.
Zety’s career expert Jasmine Escalera said the future of work could be the convergence of human expertise and AI innovation. “Although HR managers are increasingly supporting AI in their job applications, the human element (trust, communication and engagement) remains essential. Companies must look through this intersection to promote a work environment for people who value technology and strength.”
You can teach yourself how to use a large number of AI tools, and like any skill, practice is key. But taking courses can be a great way to develop more technical skills.
“From free overview to more in-depth paid options, you can follow many online courses in your own time,” Poduška said. “However, many people can still use these prices because many are expensive and employers are often happy to pay for their teams to train.
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“If you are looking for online courses, I recommend that you choose a fairly recent course to keep the information up to date,” he added. “You can see that these courses have a range of applications and are targeted at different industries and departments.”
Ultimately, it is undeniable that Al could pose a threat to certain workers and their roles. But for others, the rise of technology can be taken advantage of by learning new skills, especially job seekers. “Being able to use this technology confidently to save time, automate tasks and generate new ideas looks great on the application and will be enjoyable in the interview,” Poduška said.
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