TPT July 2019

G LOBA L MARKE T P L AC E

G LOBA L MARKE T P L AC E Looking for an AI wor kforce Developments in ar tificial intelligence and machine learning call for new skill sets Rob Spiegel, writing in April for Automation and Motion Control , looked at the progress of AI in the workplace. the right problems and structure a solution so that it’s easy to adopt,” said Mr Aradhyula. Only the star t AI, machine learning and deep learning – all part of the world of data science – are likely to change significantly as technology expands. Predicts Mr Aradhyula, “We are learning more and more about what makes humans tick and how human brains are wired. As this understanding increases, our algorithms will get better and the nature of skills in AI will evolve. We are just getting started.”

With the expansion of Industry 4.0, machine learning and advanced robotics, the need for artificial intelligence (AI) skills is growing quickly. AI jobs are showing up across a wide range of industries, since the skills associated with AI touch challenges from product design and production to robotic surgery. “Most businesses are looking to use AI skills to power their decisions, and every problem is being reframed as an AI problem,” said Raj Aradhyula, chief people officer at Fractal Analytics, a company based in the USA and India that brings analytics and AI to the decision-making process. “This is driving the demand for these skills. In the US market, we’ve seen a three-times increase in demand for AI skills since last year.” Those entering AI careers come from a wide range of educational experience. “A varied set of backgrounds and diverse skill sets work for AI roles, though some quantitative background is necessary,” said Mr Aradhyula. “We look for computer science, electrical engineering, mathematics, statistics, and economics as a good foundation. Most engineering disciplines work just as well and, more recently, [we’ve looked] for skills in the areas of human computer interaction.” Skills can be taught Since universities are not yet delivering scores of AI graduates, companies are developing their own programmes to train workers in AI, machine learning and deep learning. “There is a high level of interest in building careers in this area and the technical skills required for data scientist work can be taught,” said Mr Aradhyula. “At Fractal Analytics we have invested in learning programmes that help individuals develop skills in AI and analytics because we can’t find people with expertise in all the areas that we need. “We need people to have a good foundation in mathematics, computer science and programming, and, in addition, the best data scientists are also great problem solvers, storytellers and team players. We need three things to come together: AI, engineering and design. We need AI skills to build great algorithms; we need engineering to process large amounts of data at Internet scale; and we need design to hone-in on

Leadership – look and learn Stephen Gold, president and CEO of MAPI (Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation), wrote in Industry Week , advising “Learn from the disruptors”. He recommends that manufacturing leaders adopt the leadership techniques of Amazon, Uber and Google. Over the last three centuries, virtually all major technological changes had their genesis in the industrial sector. Think of the dramatic economic transformations since Adam Smith’s provocative explanation in 1776 of how free enterprise creates wealth. The introduction of the steam engine in the 18 th century revolutionised our economy through mechanisation and led to the building of steamships and railroads. Electricity in the latter half of the 19 th century helped launch the mass- production economy, leading to a world of internal combustion engines, light bulbs and telephones. The advent of computers and automation in the second half of the 20 th century led to a digitalised world. Manufacturing was the central player in each of these economic revolutions. Today, service companies like Amazon, Uber and Google are driving many of the most notable changes of the 21 st century marketplace and manufacturers are scrambling to keep up. True, today’s digital technologies were built on the shoulders of prior manufacturing successes but, just as others leveraged the innovations from the manufacturing revolutions of the past, manufacturers will now benefit from the service sector revolution of the present – by leveraging the innovations of these 21 st century service behemoths. How might this happen? Let’s start with the “Amazon effect”, a reference to the impact of the digital marketplace on traditional bricks-and-mortar businesses. Amazon’s business model has revolutionised consumer expectations. People want clear choices with faster delivery at cheaper costs. To this end, Amazon has done more than any other company to jump-start manufacturers’ forays into digital transformation.

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JULY 2019