It’s the rise of the machines, but the truth is, the big machine uprising has been a long time coming. And now that it’s here, we need to figure out how to navigate this new world of artificial intelligence. AI is the hot, not-so-new craze that’s still making waves, and we’re all adjusting to it. But of course, we don’t all understand what it is, what it means for our everyday lives, and how we can use it to enhance our working experience and output. From music and art to research and school, and now the world of work, AI has transformational power and the many ways it can be utilised. We’re answering some of these questions below.

Understanding Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) is described as the replication of human intelligence by machines in computer systems. These systems are built to have similar capabilities like imitating human actions and behaviours. and the expert systems include natural language processing, speech recognition, and machine vision. AI is the ability of a computer to behave in human-like ways and understand its surroundings using the information it collects.

AI in the Workplace

In their efforts to not get left behind, companies the world over are scrambling to tell the world how they are leading the charge in their industries and using AI to change the game. Often, they use a component of the technology, machine learning. AI systems operate by absorbing vast amounts of data, analysing the patterns, and then using these patterns to predict future states. It picks up images, tools, and exchanges and, with these, can describe, identify, and create based on what it has ingested. This begs the question if AI will soon be able to do everything humans can and more, where does it fit into the workplace? How can professionals learn the skills to use these systems that will give them the extra edge where and when it matters?

The Value in Learning AI Skills

The foundations of machine learning and neural networks must be understood to learn AI skills. It’s essential to be proficient in programming languages like Python and can manipulate and analyse sizable datasets. Acquiring AI skills empowers individuals to develop innovative applications that can automate tasks, make predictions, and drive data-driven decision-making. Here are a few AI courses you can take to get you started:

• Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
• Diploma in Fundamentals of Artificial Intelligence
• Machine Learning with Artificial Intelligence
• Machine Learning for Absolute Beginners
• Diploma in Machine Learning with Python

Top AI Tools to Make Your Workday Easier

The simplest way to use  AI is to help you tick off small tasks on your to-do list. Here are a few tools you can use to make the most out of your day.

1. Canva Pro

Canva is a free-to-use graphic design platform for designing creative assets like presentations, posters, videos, logs, social media posts, and more. With Canva Pro, you have access to a rich AI image generator that doesn’t give you the traditional stylised designs of other image generators. The Pro version allows you to add text to images, magic design, magic eraser, beat sync, and magic edit.

2. Chatbots

We’ve all heard about ChatGPT and Google’s answer to this bot, Bard. These tools let you communicate with AI bots like you would with any other person. But that’s just the start of it. Tools like ChatGPT and Bard can write emails, code, and write essays. Bing Chat takes it further by having web-informed answers to questions and AI image generation. You can use it to proofread a document or email and help you phrase your message right before you hit ‘send’.

3. Numerous.ai

This tool is a plus for anyone working with large data sets if dealing with spreadsheets is not their cup of tea. You tell it what formula you need, and working with Excel and Google Sheets, it extracts the relevant information, and sorts and categorises the data into what you need.

4. Tome

The Tome app is your answer to creating beautiful slide decks or PowerPoint presentations for work. Impress your team, customers, and potential new clients with 3-D rendered presentations, adding live content. If you want to spruce your deck up even further, include video narrations in your slides.

5. Brain.fm

A big issue many professionals struggle with is focus and concentration. This music tool is scientifically backed to help unlock the best version of yourself. Brain.fm helps get more done with less effort. It can also help you relax, focus, and sleep better. The music is designed to blend into your background, stimulating your brain and helping you sustain attention for longer spans, and is produced from the bottom up in a way that optimises your performance.

6. Scheduling assistants

Another common bee in the workday bonnet is scheduling. Setting up meetings, jumping on and off calls, checking your calendar, and managing other tasks can be a job. Enter AI scheduling assistants! X.ai, Reclaim, Clockwise, and Motion are great options, each with pros and cons. For example, X.ai integrates popular calendars to help streamline the scheduling process while taking over the back-and-forth communication with meeting attendees to find a suitable time for all parties. Reclaim ensures you don’t miss your weekly targets. From weekly gym sessions to reading goals, Reclaim schedules it all. Clockwise works better for teams to create an ideal day. Motion is more project management-focused, helping you stay on top of your tasks, tweaking priority levels, and shuffling other events around this.

8. Otter.ai

Transcribing meeting minutes, interviews, lectures, videos, and other conversations, is tedious and time-consuming. Otter.ai is the time-saving answer to your transcription headaches. It’s a top-rated transcription app because of its accuracy, ability to distinguish speakers, and time stamps. Additionally, it can generate summaries in real-time, ensuring you don’t miss a second of what was said and who said it in minutes.

Like it or not, AI is a part of our personal and professional lives and is here to stay. The best thing we can do is learn how to leverage its capabilities for our benefit so that as the world forges ahead into new territories, we are right there learning and growing along with it. Find the AI tool that works for you and work it.