TEDx Talks - Are you prepared for the future of work? | Iyobosa Rehoboth | TEDxMambillaSt
The speaker highlights a radical truth that 50-60% of current jobs may not exist in the next decade, urging the audience to prepare for a rapidly evolving world. He shares his personal journey from a designer to a filmmaker and eventually into emerging technologies like virtual reality, emphasizing the importance of viewing work as a dynamic ecosystem of skills and connections. He stresses the need for adaptability and continuous learning, particularly in AI and immersive technologies, which are reshaping the future of work. The speaker also discusses the potential of AI as an augmentor of human capabilities rather than a replacement, citing examples like language models aiding in learning and VR assisting in education and therapy. He encourages leveraging these technologies to solve local problems and build infrastructure, particularly in Africa, where there is a unique opportunity to shape the fundamentals of future technologies.
Key Points:
- 50-60% of current jobs may not exist in the next decade; adapt to new skills.
- View work as a dynamic ecosystem of skills and connections.
- AI should be seen as an augmentor, not a replacement, for human capabilities.
- Immersive technologies like VR are transforming education and therapy.
- Africa has a unique opportunity to shape future technologies and solve local problems.
Details:
1. 🎤 Setting the Stage: A Radical Truth
1.1. The Importance of Radical Truth in Business
1.2. Implementing Radical Truth: Strategies and Challenges
1.3. Benefits of Radical Truth in Customer Relations
2. 🔍 Navigating the Future: Work and Opportunities
2.1. Impact of Job Loss in the Next Decade
2.2. Strategies for Adapting to the Future Job Market
3. 🖥️ A Personal Technological Journey
- The speaker's technological journey began 14 years ago with an early version of Photoshop, sparking an interest in design and creativity during their teenage years.
- This interest naturally evolved into filmmaking, where the speaker honed their skills by creating films and commercials, demonstrating a keen ability to adapt and explore new creative avenues.
- The COVID-19 pandemic and the introduction of virtual reality (VR) served as pivotal moments, compelling the speaker to reassess their identity, ultimately broadening their perspective and influencing their trajectory as a designer and filmmaker.
4. 🔄 Skills and Identity: A Dynamic Approach
- Viewing work as a dynamic ecosystem of skills and connections can significantly transform career paths, particularly in tech industries.
- Leading a team in virtual reality and AI showcases the practical application of continuously acquired skills.
- Technology access, even just a phone and internet, drastically reduces barriers to entering tech fields, promoting inclusivity.
- Every new skill acquisition opens doors to further opportunities, emphasizing the importance of lifelong learning.
- Geographical limitations are mitigated by technology access, leveling the playing field for regions like Africa, where tech opportunities can thrive despite physical constraints.
5. 🤖 AI and Emerging Tech: Embracing Change
- The future of work involves adopting a new worldview and meta skills, especially in interacting with AI and computing platforms.
- Finding personal affinities in skills and portals is key to adapting to future work environments.
- Artificial intelligence is a central pillar in the future of work, often seen either as a threat or an opportunity.
- AI can be seen as an augmentor of human capabilities rather than a replacement.
- Large language models like GPT help frame language, assist in tasks, and act as thinking partners.
- Personal example: Using AI to learn a language in just 3 months, highlighting AI's role as a patient, understanding, and non-complaining partner.
- AI augments human abilities by providing new ways to approach tasks, improving efficiency and creativity.
- Challenges: While AI augments capabilities, there may be challenges in ensuring equitable access and addressing skill gaps.
- Scenarios: AI can assist in data analysis, content creation, and personalized learning, demonstrating its versatility in various fields.
6. 🌐 Tech Frontiers: Africa's Unique Opportunity
- Africa's early stage in technology adoption offers a unique opportunity for innovation, particularly in immersive technologies like virtual reality (VR).
- VR is being effectively used in educational settings to enhance student knowledge retention by 30% and in mental health treatments, such as PTSD therapy, showing success rates 20% higher than traditional methods.
- Africa, being the youngest continent with a median age of 19.7, allows it to build foundational tech infrastructure tailored to local needs rather than copying existing models, which drives sustainable progress.
- Integrating African languages and culture into technology is crucial, ensuring it addresses local problems and is not merely imported from elsewhere.
- Strategically, engaging with communities to understand their needs and designing technology solutions accordingly is essential, with examples like M-Pesa revolutionizing mobile payments and increasing financial inclusion by 40%.
7. 🤔 Reflect and Act: Preparing for Tomorrow
- Develop a mindset ready for the AI Revolution, recognizing its potential to disrupt jobs and industries.
- Invest in creating infrastructure to leverage new technologies as they become more common.
- Example of action: Built the largest computing facility in southwestern Nigeria to support AI, mixed reality, and gaming development.
- The facility serves as a hub with computers, servers, and GPUs for complex computational tasks.
- Establish a talent ecosystem and pipeline to inspire and support young people interested in future technologies.
- Encourage individuals to reflect on personal strategies to adapt to technological advancements.