Tech Savvy to AI Savvy

 Tech Savvy to AI Savvy

In the past, we often used the term "tech-savvy." Today, we refer to people as "AI-savvy." We are witnessing the emergence of two types of individuals: those with traditional tech skills who know how to operate a computer, use relevant software, and browse the internet to gather information. In the 1990s, these individuals became tech-savvy; by the 2000s, these skills had been integrated into the school and college curricula. As a result, from the mid-2000s onward, we saw a significant increase in people obtaining the right jobs in their chosen fields. However, such positive trends do not last long.

For example, in the past, if someone could type a regional language using an English keyboard, they were viewed as an expert. A few years later, those who could search for the best translator websites and obtain accurate translations were considered web-savvy. Today, anyone who can copy and paste text into tools like ChatGPT or DeepSeek does not possess any special expertise; they are simply someone with basic copy-and-paste skills.

Some individuals load cash into ATMs, which is considered a hardware job. Others write software for ATMs, which are known as software jobs. Network engineers ensure that connections are working, service engineers maintain the machines, and ethical hackers protect them from breaches. In an ATM system, many engineers are involved. However, we are witnessing a reduction in the number of ATMs, as cashless transactions become more common. Banking will no longer be confined to brick-and-mortar locations. If you think banking will move to mobile devices, you might be surprised. In the future, payments may be as simple as a fingerprint or an eye scan, much like what is already being implemented in China.

This shift is evident in the fintech industry, which plays a crucial role as it explores the use of AI for coding and hardware testing.

Just yesterday, a graphic designer was charging thousands of dollars per second to animate a video. Today, such tasks can be easily performed by school children using tools from Meta AI.

In the past, people used Excel spreadsheets and formulas to analyse data. Now, those who know how to leverage AI for data analysis are considered more relevant to the workplace than those who only possess Excel skills.

 

AI is permeating every aspect of our lives. The moment I publish this article on Facebook or LinkedIn; I will start receiving recommendations for AI courses.

Toyota's AI City will likely become the next tourist destination, complete with an AI theme park, AI food courts, AI tailors, and AI secretaries to manage our calendars. We may even have AI avatars that can engage with us, understand our emotions, provide worldly knowledge in seconds, and, if needed, cater to our more personal desires.

As you read this article, you might feel excited, worried, curious, or even critical about whether such technology should exist. Remember, there was a time when some employees voiced their concerns about computers. Today, however, those same individuals are shopping at Walmart in the U.S. and visiting a temple in Pittsburgh, where their son is a delivery head at an IT company and their daughter is a data analyst for a consulting firm. Those who initially opposed technology have often been quietly educating their children in modern skills.

Technology will evolve, change, and take new forms. Those who embrace it will navigate this tech-driven world with ease and confidence. In contrast, those who resist it will be left wondering what has happened to the world and where we are heading. While they continue to move forward, they may do so with a sense of hatred and worry in their hearts.

M.L. Narendra Kumar