I received this email (header only shown) from the Harvard Business Review. I believe it is absolutely the case that our future workforce will all be technologists of some kind. Those who are not, whether it is due to an unwillingness to adapt to change (always a precursor to obsolescence), ignorance, or a lack of access to education/skill-building, will find themselves really out of the workforce. Many point to trades like plumbing, electricians or the like as "safe" - I think that, too, may be ripe for disruption. Imagine an electrician with smart glasses who can immediately have the schematic of a home, appliance or device within it's heads up display - complete with troubleshooting algorithms, etc. - if AI integration (or automation - see fast food kitchens) is not coming for all jobs, it will certainly be the case for most. In the legal space, some firm principals have long remanded "IT" (all encompassing for hardware and software in many firms) to others without even a basic understanding (risks and opportunities) of the technology. That worked for WordPerfect v. Word, Apple v. IBM -- that's not going to be the case for AI in the modern law firm. Everyone needs to be educated on the basics and like CLE requirements, that education needs to be ongoing and consistent. In the Marine Corps we believe every Marine is, foremost, a "basic" rifleman -- I think the age is upon us where every thriving member of the workforce will be a "basic" technologist.
Thought Leadership
In the AI Era, Everyone Must Be a Basic Technologist
Just as every Marine is first a rifleman, thriving in tomorrow's workforce will require mastering the basics of tech.