What kind of talents do you need in the future artificial intelligence era?

The writer is Hanniman, the head of Turing robot operation.

In the past six months, I have contacted many friends who want to enter the field of artificial intelligence, including college students, Internet users and friends from traditional industries. "How to become a talent needed in the era of artificial intelligence?" People often feel that there is no way to start. ...

This paper attempts to answer three questions-in the future era of artificial intelligence.

1. Where is the talent demand?

Second, what kind of talents are needed?

What can we do now?

1. In the era of artificial intelligence, where is the demand for talents?

Generally speaking, although mechanical and repeatable mental/physical labor will be replaced by artificial intelligence/robots. However, there will be more new, in-depth and creative talent needs.

What jobs will be replaced? For example, security guards are replaced by security robots; Drivers, replaced by driverless cars; Translation, switching to translation AI software, etc. (Note: Will artificial intelligence make people unemployed? I'm not worried about this problem. What I'm worried about is the negative impact on the public mind caused by the spread of this problem without boundaries and depth. )

In the book Dancing with Robots, there are two shocking figures: every job lost in the Internet industry will create 2.6 new jobs ... and every robot deployed in the future will create 3.6 jobs.

Where are these 3.6 jobs likely to appear? My personal opinion is-

1. "New jobs" brought by "new industries" related to artificial intelligence

Before the outbreak of the Internet, there were graphic designers, IT personnel and XX managers in traditional industries, but the development of the Internet led to the emergence and hot speculation of new positions such as UI designers, Android/iOS programmers and Internet product managers.

Similarly, with the advent of the era of artificial intelligence, some unheard-of new positions will be created, such as "natural language processing" and "speech recognition engineer" which have been recognized by the industry, as well as positions unknown to the industry, such as artificial intelligence/robot product manager; Those with bigger brains may have positions such as "robot moral/violence appraiser" in the future.

2. "Artificial Intelligence" of "old line" in other industries (upgraded/subdivided version)

Just like after the "new media" fire, many traditional media or companies have to set up "new media" departments. Some media people who used to report online are now transforming into vertical media specializing in artificial intelligence; The original TMT investment has also been subdivided into investors or institutions focusing on artificial intelligence.

In particular, although most security guards and translators will be replaced by artificial intelligence, the remaining few people may have higher incomes, such as security robots and security leaders with rich security experience, such as translation perpendicular to a certain subdivision.

3. Artificial intelligence has stimulated more demand from the perspective of human nature, leading to greater demand for some "old jobs".

More leisure time, on the one hand, will lead to greater demand for entertainment, games and content; On the other hand, it is easy to cause more physical or mental problems, thus amplifying the demand for health or self-improvement.

Second, what kind of talents are needed in the era of artificial intelligence?

1, major+creativity.

No matter which of the above three types of demand sources, people floating on the surface of the industry will be replaced by AI. Only with profound professional ability and creativity can we gain a foothold.

2. If you are in the artificial intelligence industry, you need strong multidisciplinary understanding and communication and cooperation skills.

For example, the service robot industry will be the intersection of artificial intelligence+Internet and robot hardware. People who can understand these three aspects at the same time are hard to find. So in practical work, you will definitely need to cooperate with people from other backgrounds. At this time, on the one hand, we need knowledge reserves in many fields (behind this is the ability to learn quickly), on the other hand, the ability to communicate and cooperate is particularly important.

Especially for vertical scenes or users' AI products, such as children's robots, to do this well, there must be two people with different backgrounds or teamwork. For example, A is a technical talent and B is a vertical industry talent. When they watch (think) together, they can see the main line of this matter and know what they can do. When they look at it separately, they can know the boundary-the boundary is very important, not only what they can do, but also what they can't do. Many times products die, not because they don't know what to do, but because they can do too much, but in fact, 80% are pits. Only old drivers who really understand can avoid those pits.

More importantly, as we Turing robots often tell the industry, to make products in the field of artificial intelligence (especially 2C products), we need "dual drive of technical products". Many voices in the industry are emphasizing algorithms, data and computing power. There is nothing wrong with this, but it can only be regarded as a necessary condition for the breakthrough point (explosion) of 2C products, not a sufficient condition. If you don't pay enough attention to product experience (even the concept of "artificial intelligence product manager" doesn't exist), it's hard to do well with it to drive some ways of doing things.

I just saw a report about Li Xiang by xtecher recently, and quoted it as follows for everyone to experience-

In the face of intelligent driving entrepreneurs with non-automotive backgrounds in the market, Li Xiang bluntly said, "I think they have to squat. It is hard to imagine that many people are so ignorant of consumers and cars and can be so bold. Isn't that bold? People who build cars are so stupid. Those with technical background can be second-line technology suppliers like Mobileye. "

Compared with a group of artificial intelligence giants who entered the field of intelligent driving from big technology companies, Li Xiang said, "In fact, I am worried about them a lot."

In addition, on the other hand, product managers in the field of artificial intelligence/robotics, without a certain technical understanding, will be much more difficult to do than in the Internet era.

3. If you want to make a big difference in the artificial intelligence industry, you need a high humanistic quality and spiritual realm.

Personally, I think that real AI/ robot products need to go beyond pure logical thinking and connotation. For example, some people think that it is enough to make functional value (useful) for robot products, but I personally think that when robots interact with people, there will be irrational influences such as emotions, which designers want to avoid and cannot remove. When I first saw the huge industrial robot at close range, I was shocked, because the coordinated movements and rhythms instinctively made the observer feel "like a person" (not a machine); For another example, in the field of performance/drama, performers can completely express their emotions through direction, amplitude, rhythm and so on! See pixar 1986 animated short film Luxo Jr.

From a deeper level, the video says that before the singularity comes, the artificial intelligence industry is likely to have another trough (unknown time), because the turning point of the historical cycle of artificial intelligence is mostly a breakthrough at the what or how level, and rarely a fundamental breakthrough at the why level. It is speculated that the future artificial intelligence industry will be repositioned by people with philosophical thinking depth like Hou Shida. For example, the purpose of AI research is to explore human self-cognition and limits, the relationship between man and nature, the relationship between man and machine, the relationship between machine and so on, and redefine the realization ways and paths of various products and technologies.

From a deeper level, the essence of a product is the externalization of the soul energy level of its company and designers. It is impossible for a team with low spiritual level to make an inter-generational AI/ robot product.

What can we do now?

I hope to provide some concrete and executable solutions for friends who are preparing to enter the AI industry. As long as you do the following, you are at least half a position ahead at the starting line.

1. See "all" questions and answers related to artificial intelligence/robots on Zhihu.

2. Experience various AI/ robot products, understand the current situation of necessary products/technologies, and collect information of industry companies/teams/institutions.

3. Read related introductory books or courses (please click "Read the original" and see the appendix at the end of my other article "Product Manager, How to Switch to Artificial Intelligence/Robot").

4. Stick to 1~3 points for at least 3 or 6 months.

5, organize their own unique insights, become a document or Zhihu answer.

6. Screen a few entrepreneurial teams that you really recognize, and "try your best" to get to know the awesome people among them (social networks are so developed, it is not difficult for dig to be alone ...). 1) Take your initial ideas as a stepping stone-endorse yourself and replace daydreams with actions and results. 2) communication (think about why you are worth your time first)

7. Choose some AI startups you recognize and "try your best" to win "any" job opportunities. For example, as long as you can be hired, you are willing to do any position, even recruitment, customer service, handyman, even no salary, or even no money (if you really can't generate value, you are actually training and learning). In short, even without relevant professional background, if you can really give up short-term interests and work hard, there are always opportunities.

In short, the era of artificial intelligence is beginning, and many people will be involved in this wave. I just hope that we can "watch" this great change with a relatively simple mind, follow the trend and dance with the dragon.