#ai-skills

#ai-skills

"Does AI mean that you should hire senior people or middle-level, or junior, or are all the jobs going to go away because AI will replace them all?" Field asked. "I've heard that last one a bunch of times, and it hasn't come true yet. All the people have said that. They continue to hire."

Before your inbox fills up again, there are steps you can take now to set the stage for a strong 2026 at work. The end of the year presents a natural time to reflect on what you've done and what you hope to do in the months ahead. Whether it's building AI skills, getting a raise, or leveling up your networking, you likely have plenty of goals to consider as you plan for the year ahead.

ODSC's Ai X Podcast had a busy year with 50 published episodes! Over the year, we discussed everything from the latest AI agent to enterprise AI strategies for implementing said agents. We spoke with researchers, academics, practitioners, and AI leaders for hundreds of hours over the year, and we're thrilled that you took the time to listen and comment on them. Looking back on the year, here are the top ten most listened to AI podcast episodes, and the common themes that we found.

"The skills we need in the AI age are fundamentally different from before,"

Chief People Officer Gina Vorgiu Breuer explains how the enterprise software giant is preparing its global workforce for a future where AI handles 42% of tasks-without replacing humans. At SAP Connect in Las Vegas, Breuer outlined SAP's comprehensive AI workforce strategy to Techzine TV. The approach goes beyond simply introducing new tools; it fundamentally reshapes how the company thinks about jobs, skills, and human potential in an AI-augmented workplace.

"AI fluency is no longer a "nice-to-have," I was told in an email from GMAC (Graduate Management Admission Council), the leading body globally that determines whether you can enter a top business school and study master's degrees like the MBA. Within just one year, the share of employers valuing AI skills in graduate hires jumped from 26% to 31%, one of the biggest year-over-year shifts witnessed to date, according to GMAC's Corporate Recruiters Survey.

Fifteen years ago, being 'computer literate' meant you could navigate Windows or macOS with ease, troubleshoot a printer jam, and perhaps install new software without calling tech support. In 2025, that definition feels outdated. Today's digital workplace runs on applications, mobile devices, and increasingly, AI-powered platforms that handle much of the complexity behind the scenes. How to effectively and efficiently use the array of technologies businesses now employ, has become critical.

Nearly a third of skilled knowledge workers are already making money without being tied to an employer or waiting for the next paycheck. About 28% of knowledge workers are currently freelancing, per Upwork's 2025 Future Workforce Index.

As a new kind of dealmaking is sweeping Silicon Valley, forcing employees to be vigilant about how much trust they are willing to put in startup founders.

The study indicates that two-thirds of organizations believe that open source AI is cheaper to deploy than proprietary models, highlighting its cost-effectiveness.