Future Talent Forum 2024 - Generative AI - Shaping the Talent Pipeline, Hype versus Reality

Published: 20 Jun, 2024

The technology underlying Generative AI has been decades in the making. But it's introduction to the public discourse opens conversation around the implications and the affordances and the constraints that we need to consider in shaping the talent pipeline.

Opening the Future Talent Forum 2024 Generative AI: Shaping the Talent Pipeline – Hype versus Reality, the Enterprise Academy’s annual event for talent development professionals at Technological University Dublin, Dr. Claire Mc Bride, head of the Enterprise Academy and Convene Project Lead of Convene said:

“Increasingly, at the Enterprise Academy we're seeing that demand for cross-disciplinary initiatives. Business, whether it be a commercial or social enterprise, is a team sport. It takes that cross-disciplinary, contribution to strategic intent, to build productive outcomes and reach organizational aspirations. There are a few conversations we have with our partners that don't involve, the twin priority of the green transition and digital transformation and generative AI in particular, is key to the latter. This morning’s program delves into the hype and the reality of generative AI in respect to how, we're shaping the talent pipeline.”

University-Enterprise Engagement 

Educators and industry experts came together at Technological University Dublin on June 20th, 2024 to explore transformative strategies and approaches to equip learners with essential AI skills. The Enterprise Academy university-enterprise engagement showcase event highlighted how higher education institutions can foster technical proficiency, ethical awareness, and critical thinking to ensure workplace learners are ready to excel in an AI-driven future.

 

AI is changing the ways we work and will continue to change them further if we were to see the benefits of AI. Both firms and individuals must have the skills to make this happen. Digital skills are the foundation, and lifelong learning is essential for everyone. As technologies continue to improve. So with us, we know that it's vitally important to demystify and build trust in and awareness of AI and to prepare the ground for wider application of the technology across our society and our economy. It's only through engaging with the technology and the human centric ethical manner that we can harness its full potential.

Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation, AI - Here for Good Progress Report on the National AI Strategy

 

AI: Reshaping traditional learning methodologies and its implications

With a focus on understand how AI technologies are reshaping traditional learning methodologies and the implications for learning and development strategies and practices guests gained valuable insights into practical approaches and innovative solutions for  learning and development professionals to adapt and thrive in the age of AI, including upskilling and reskilling initiatives that directly contribute to enhancing employee capabilities, promoting career growth, and adapting to evolving industry requirements.

Quoting the Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation, Dr. Mc Bride set the context for the event on how we must prepare and learn the necessary skills to effectively use and incorporate AI into our lives, our work and society with purpose for good.

“AI is changing the ways we work and will continue to change them further if we were to see the benefits of AI. Both firms and individuals must have the skills to make this happen. Digital skills are the foundation, and lifelong learning is essential for everyone. As technologies continue to improve. So with us, we know that it's vitally important to demystify and build trust in and awareness of AI and to prepare the ground for wider application of the technology across our society and our economy. It's only through engaging with the technology and the human centric ethical manner that we can harness its full potential.” Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation, AI - Here for Good Progress Report on the National AI Strategy

Presentations and information sessions

With a packed agenda the morning sessions consisted of presentations and informative sessions from each of our guest speakers: Richard Jones, Principal Enterprise Technologist, Amazon Web Services (AWS); Vicky Twomey-Lee, Diversity in Tech Advocate and Co-Founder of Coding Grace and Dr. Robert Ross, Senior Lecturer in theTU Dublin Computer Science.

Discussing AI and balancing the potential benefits and innovation with the risks and challenges, Richard Jones, said “By 2028, 85% of companies are going to adopt AI as part of their organisation. 91% are actually are going to see the benefits. Organisations expect about a 41% increase in productivity…We do have to think about what skills people are going to need as parts of AI adoption. In terms of skills, what skills do you have within your organisation? What skills do you have in your inventory? How do skills need to change over time? And how do I put processes in place in organisations to make sure that those skills are being given to the organization? And then how is our industry or business model changing as part of that?”

 

Download Richard Jones's presentation here: Building the Future with AI - Richard Jones Future Talent Forum 2024

Download Vicky Twomey-Lee's presentation here: Diversity In The Tech Community Vicky Twomey Lee - Future Talent Forum 2024

Download Dr. Robert Ross's presentation here: Can my copilot carry the boxes? AI and Embodiment Dr Robert Ross Future Talent Forum 2024

 

Discussion Panels: Education 5.0 and Transformative strategies and approaches for essential AI skills

The first discussion panel on Education 5.0 focused on the challenges and opportunities presented by the recent mainstreaming of AI applications chaired by Hugh McCabe, Lecturer at the School of Media, TU Dublin, with guests Gemma Dunn Skills & capabilities project manager specialising in mixed reality AI & content creation, Intel Corporation; Seamus McGrath, Public Sector Lead, IBM; @Paula Kearney, Site Learning Lead, Takeda and Damian T. Gordon, Lecturer, TU Dublin School of Computer Science.

 

The second discussion panel was a deep dive into transformative strategies and approaches to equip learners with essential AI skills was chaired by Dr. Dee Duffy, Ph.D. (Chair), Senior Engagement Manager at the TU Dublin Enterprise Academy, Kesiena Mercy Ebenade, Ph.D, Fellow LDI, Capability Manager, L&D at BT Sourced; Peter Blennerhassett, CEO & Co-Founder of Blynksolve; Dympna O'Sullivan, Academic Lead, TU Dublin Research and Innovation Digital Futures Research Hub and Ann Masterson, Head of HRM Discipline, TU Dublin School of Management, People and Organisations.

 

Event Programme and Survey

For more details on the Future Talent Forum Event visit: www.tudublin.ie/ftf2024. If you attended the event and would like to share your feedback, you can do so here.

 

About TU Dublin Enterprise Academy

The Enterprise Academy is a multidisciplinary business unit at Technological University Dublin taking an innovative approach to collaborative talent development for workplace learners. The Enterprise Academy works with enterprises across all sectors and business types to create flexible, scalable, accredited solutions that address sector-specific, cross-sector and transversal skill needs. 

The TU Dublin Enterprise Academy is funded by the Higher Education Authority's HCI Pillar 3, a government of Ireland programme designed to meet priority skills needs, by increasing collaboration between higher education and enterprise with a focus on innovations in teaching and learning.