Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a transformative technology with the potential to revolutionize virtually every industry in the world.
Technology itself, specifically, has taken North America by storm. Connecticut’s booming tech ecosystem boasts a population of 61,000 workers alone for New England, of which 29% work for software, data, and digital firms, while the other 71% work in a wide variety of the state’s other key clusters (Lightcast, 2022; AdvanceCT Calculations).
How AI Will Benefit the Workplace
The Chamber’s newly formed Technology Council, under the direction of Chair Atif Faruqui, Director of Developer Products and Platforms for Pfizer, met to explore growing AI use cases.
Between ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Dall-E, and other paid video and photography software, AI offers the following:
- Writing Prompts/Scripts & Templates
- Document Creation & Copy Writing/Editing
- Tone Memorization
- Language Translations
- Image Generation
- Location Sourcing
- Object Identification
Its ability to analyze vast amounts of data, identify patterns, and automate tasks makes it an invaluable tool for improving efficiency, reducing costs, and creating more personalized experiences.
Debunking Myths: Replacing Jobs
Contrary to common misconceptions, AI is not about replacing human workers, but rather about enhancing their capabilities and making their work processes more efficient. The collaboration between AI and human intelligence creates a powerful synergy, where AI handles data-driven tasks, and humans bring the intuition, emotional intelligence, and critical thinking that machines still cannot replicate. This partnership allows for greater innovation, productivity, and job satisfaction.
Many industries are also seeing the emergence of new roles and opportunities as AI integrates into the workplace. Rather than eliminating jobs, AI is reshaping them, requiring workers to develop new skills and adapt to digital environments.
Various YouTube tutorials share introductions on how to “speak” to AI for best results.
The Technology Council believes that while pending regulation is important to ensure the tool is used ethically, the public shouldn’t let the lack of guidelines slow them down.
Top Tips for Tech Challenges
Faruqui’s best advice for staying abreast of AI is to:
- Follow AI News
- Read updates from sources like OpenAI and the TLDR newsletter (featuring startup company, technological advancement, and programming information).
- Join Communities
- Engage in forums, such as through Reddit and LinkedIn groups on the web, or in person at Technology Council meetings hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT.
- Learn Continuously
- Take courses on Coursera, edX, or Fast.ai, and follow expert blogs.
When it comes to cybersecurity, he also suggests professionals do the following:
- Use Multi-Factor Authentications on Company & Personal Devices
- Promote Employee Computer Trainings
- Deploy Back Ups & Software Updates on Systems
- Utilize “Ethical Hackers” for Domain Risk Assessment
- Consolidate Accounts for Secure Access
Like any new technology, AI develops faster than laws can keep up, but we can still use it responsibly in a transparent and accountable way that encourages innovation and progress amongst other rising advances.
Become More Savy
Interested in learning more about how technology impacts business? Members can sign up to attend our next Council meeting by emailing Chamber liaison Kevin Zhang (kzhang@chamberect.com) or online via the Member Dashboard.