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IBM chief says computer science not a requirement for tech jobs in 2024

IBM’s Matt Candy said the tech industry is undergoing an evolution and those who know the language and are creative thinkers will be the ones with an advantage once AI takes over completely.

@matthewcandy / Twitter

Matthew Candy, the global managing partner in generative AI (artificial intelligence) at IBM said the technology industry’s requirements are changing, and a computer science degree might not be the saving grace for aspiring job seekers, in an interview with Fortune. 

Coding which ranks high as the most in-demand skill for those wanting to enter the tech industry, is no longer going to be the focus among employers, Candy remarked. Instead, he said those who understand language and how to apply it could be the ones who might bag the high-paying jobs related to AI. 

According to Candy,  the jobs of the future will be filled by those who can implement language and creative thinking while working with AI. He believes that individuals with liberal arts degrees would most benefit with this evolution as creative thinking and language is nurtured in these academic programs.

“Rather than us having to learn to talk the language of technology and programming computers, effectively they’re learning to talk our language,” Candy told Fortune referring to the role prompt engineers play. They feed large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, information and questions to train it in human behavior and thinking. These jobs do not require IT skills and can command six-figure salaries. 

“The speed at which people will be able to come up with an idea, to test the idea, to make something, it’s going to be so accelerated. You don’t need to have a degree in computer science to do that,” Candy told the publication. He also reassured that there will still be a place in the tech industry for computer scientists. 

“The world is being rewritten in code,” Candy said highlighting that initially every industry is making space to take advantage of AI, by putting in new systems. However, once the systems are up and running, glitch free, the creative thinkers might be the ones with an advantage. 
Meanwhile, the World Economic Forum’s “The Future of Jobs Report 2020,” said AI is expected to create 97 million new jobs worldwide by 2025, at the same time replacing 85 million jobs. 

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