Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning Are the Future: Here’s How You Can Be a Part of It

Several tech giants and industry big-wigs like Amazon, Google, Uber, Facebook, and IBM among others are placing their bets on artificial intelligence technologies. Why is every organisation investing billions of dollars in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL)?

This question, along with the reasons why the future is going to be all about AI, were addressed in an AI conclave event hosted by Manipal ProLearn. Luminaries and academicians from the industry like Srinivas Padmanabhuni, Co-Founder of Tara Technologies; Xavier Chelladurai, VP– Group Competitiveness – Automation, Capgemini; and Vijayananda, Chief Architect & Fellow, Philips, provided their inputs on technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and deep learning. They also discussed how these technologies are prone to bring about changes in the future.

Manipal ProLearn is all set to launch a part-time AI and DL program aimed at helping working professionals and AI enthusiasts understand the nuances of this ever-evolving field. The insights shared by the industry experts will help ProLearn design a well-balanced, comprehensive course curriculum inculcating the required theoretical and practical knowledge to the learners.    

The AI Advantage: Why has it become indispensable?

There has been a tremendous growth in the number of AI companies and start-ups across the globe. Many established businesses are adopting and implementing various AI components in their day to day operations. If you look at the sheer number of advantages offered by AI, its adoption doesn’t come as a surprise at all. AI has been helping businesses in:

•   Increasing operational productivity across various verticals.

•   Managing data efficiently and enabling the creation of a wide array of reports, which can help make informed business decisions.

•   Improving customer service. For example, when a customer contacts Amazon customer care, the representative already has all the details and purchase history of the caller, enabling a speedy resolution of their problems and leading to customer satisfaction.

•   Making near accurate predictions regarding market trends and changes.

•   Enhancing the user-interface experience across technology such as Apple’s Siri, autonomous self-driving cars etc.

Also, as it was aptly pointed out in the opening note of the presentation by Dr.Yogesh Bhatt, Vice President – IT Education & Training at Manipal Global Education Services, certain jobs such as telemarketing, retail business, and accounting are deemed to become obsolete in the future as they deal with processes which can be automated to a great extent. 

Did you know? According to Hfs Research, 7 lakh low skilled employees in India are going to lose their jobs due to automation by 2020?

AI has a silver lining too

It would be incorrect to say that AI technologies will be taking away jobs, as they are only making certain jobs obsolete and replacing them with new ones. Basically what this means is that if you are prepared to upskill in fields related to AI, ML and DL technologies, there are some truly incredible opportunities waiting for you. 

As per the Talent Supply Index of Belong, an HR tech recruitment firm, the demand for IoT jobs has gone up by 304%. What’s more, according to a report by Gartner, AI would add an incredible 2.3 million jobs by 2020. 

“IOT, cybersecurity, and process automation are the emerging fields of focus” – Dr.Yogesh Bhatt

With more and more acceptance of these technologies by corporations and leaders around the world, many analysts have predicted the emergence of new job positions, which do not exist presently. These predicted job positions include interesting roles like:

•   Data Detective

•   Ethical Sourcing Officer

•   AI Business Development Managers,

•   AI-assisted Healthcare Technician

•   Man-Machine Teaming Managers

•   Quantum Machine Learning Analyst

•   Personal Data Broker

•   Virtual Store Sherpa

•   Personal Memory Curator.

•   Genetic Diversity Officer

Of course, it’s clear that there are several opportunities to be seized. But how? And more importantly, what separates a good AI product from a great one?

Getting people on the AI bandwagon

“What makes a successful AI product is the amount of relevant insights it can provide to the end user” – Ganesh Mani, Adjunct Faculty, Carnegie Mellon University 

As is the case with evolving technologies, professionals must upskill or perish. That is the bitter truth, but if they do decide to take up the challenge to upskill and empower themselves with knowledge related to the fields of the future, there is no reason why they cannot succeed.

To equip learners with the know-hows of AI and DL, Manipal ProLearn will soon be launching an AI and Deep Learning part-time certificate program, designed to get you in tune with these sectors of the future. The six month Post Graduate Certificate Program (PGCP) aims to train learners with the skills required to be job-ready for the future, with an emphasis on “hands-on focus” when it comes to tackling these futuristic technologies. The experts present at the event shared their thoughts on the proposed course curriculum suggesting ways to make it a successful one.

“The focus is to ensure that the program is job-oriented so that the students can hit the ground running as soon as possible” - Mohan Silaparashetty, Consultant, Manipal ProLearn

Also, when it comes to a vast subject such as AI, it is necessary for enthusiasts to holistically understand the dynamics of the subject, and that is what the course will aim to do. Right from covering AI essentials such as deep learning techniques, understanding neural networks and speech recognition technology, and even understanding the techniques involved in industry-specific AI, the course will be your best bet towards a bright future in the sector.

All in all, it is ProLearn’s sincere hope that professionals and students embrace change and rise up to the challenge presented by the technologies of tomorrow, and this can only be done by empowering themselves with the right knowledge and the right skills.