Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming how we work. Machine learning (ML) and generative AI tools are improving operational efficiency and worker productivity in fields like finance, IT, sales, and marketing, among others.
To better understand how AI skills are taught in classrooms and used to enhance learning, Amazon collaborated with Access Partnership to survey more than 400 sixth grade through university educators in four U.S. regions (Tennessee, Ohio, California, and Seattle). The study found that over 60% of teachers believe that having AI skills will be necessary for their students to obtain high-paying careers of the future.
However, 69% of educators noted they lack the resources to teach the subject. Educators reported they need more teaching materials, including free teaching software, and more “train the trainer” programs to help students get ready for AI-enabled professions. Knowing there are potential benefits of using AI to enhance learning, AI skills courses are expected to become more available by roughly 1.5 times across surveyed U.S. schools in the next five years. Additionally, over 40% of educators expressed interest in receiving training on how to use AI-enabled curriculum research and development tools.
How Amazon can help students and educators prepare for AI-enabled careers
According to additional research, three quarters of the employers who said hiring AI-skilled talent was a priority weren’t able to find the AI talent they need. Equipping students and working adults with foundational AI skills will help prepare them for a tech-enabled workforce and a variety of career possibilities most would otherwise not consider. Amazon helps educators and students explore career pathways and skillsets in a number of ways:
- Funds high-quality STEM Curriculum & Teacher Training to help schools implement K-12 computer science initiatives and help educators build student awareness of career pathways and job readiness.
- Awards Amazon Web Services (AWS) Generative AI Scholarships to more than 50,000 high school and university students globally to help them access the new Udacity course, Introducing Generative AI with AWS for free.
- Offers the Careers of the Future Index, virtual class chats, career tours, and project-based learning modules through Amazon Future Engineer, our global philanthropic education program that helps students explore STEM through real-world experiences.
“AI is the world’s fastest growing technology, yet in our sample of U.S. regions, only 24% of surveyed education institutions incorporate some form of AI skills training as part of their curriculum,” said Victor Reinoso, global director of education philanthropy at Amazon. “Now is the time to inspire students through career exploration, providing both a window and mirror into to tech so they can not only learn about the variety of roles across our industry and others, but see themselves in careers of the future and develop the skills to pursue them.”
Top five AI-enabled career of the future predictions
For students and professionals trying to envision how AI skillsets might be leveraged in the next 15 years, Amazon partnered with Tracey Follows, CEO of Futuremade, to predict AI-enabled careers that could be on the horizon.
Some of roles have titles that today’s HR teams have yet to imagine—like “cosmic reality engineer”—and span from agriculture to health care to entertainment fields, requiring both industry knowledge and AI skills. Here are the top five AI-enabled careers:
Precision farming analyst: Adding AI from farm to table
Agriculture has become an increasingly technical science, and these AI-trained analysts will further revolutionize the farming industry as they maximize yields, while being as efficient as possible with resources required for food production. AI models will help analysts predict and mitigate the impact of climate change as they assist with crop selection and the allocation of resources like water and fertilizers. AI will also integrate with robots that can plant and harvest, while also monitoring crops in real time.
Virtual tourism producer: Shaping the future of travel
Imagine being able to plan a summer vacation with a virtual reality preview. Virtual tourism producers will create immersive virtual reality (VR) experiences using AI to showcase destinations and activities. They’ll curate and update VR content to highlight the latest news and cultural developments in different regions, while partnering with tourism boards to market travel experiences.
Artisanal restoration specialist: Making the old new again
Craftspeople in the specialized field of artisanal restoration will leverage advanced AI systems to repair and restore luxury goods—from couture fashion to antique furniture. Specialists will use AI to identify and source original materials and assess the most effective techniques for each restoration to maintain the item’s original aesthetic, historical significance, and value.
Cosmic reality engineer: Bringing invisible galaxies into view
These experts in the field of interstellar studies will harness human imagination and advanced AI skills to visualize the distant, and sometimes invisible, parts of the cosmos—from stars and planets to entire galaxies. With a deep understanding of astrophysics, cosmology, and astronomy, these engineers will contextualize AI-generated data and translate the abstract into visually stunning simulations that educate others about space.
AI nurse: At the intersection of empathy and analytics
AI will play a big part in helping nurses and other medical professionals diagnose illnesses, monitor vital signs, and track medications and wellness plans for patients. Nursing has always demanded exceptional interpersonal skills and strong medical knowledge. But nurses of the future will also have familiarity with AI tools and data analytics to interpret AI-driven insights and translate complex analyses about diagnoses and treatment plans into language that patients can understand.
“Now is the time to explore how next-gen technologies will create new roles and enhance existing job opportunities in the workforce of tomorrow and we will need people at every stage of the process,” said Follows. “These career predictions can help plant the seeds for innovation across every industry, including new career clusters and pathways that don’t exist today.”
Learn about Amazon’s AI Ready Commitment. For additional AI-enabled career predictions and more findings from the Accelerating AI Skills Through Education surveys, click below.
