The mentioning of artificial intelligence (AI) can cause a lot of us to feel on edge about what this could mean for our lives, but particularly for the future of our jobs.

Research conducted by LinkedIn has found that AI is changing the way we work, with two in five workers predicting ‘significant’ change in the next year – but there are mixed feelings. Of those surveyed, 36% admitted to feeling overwhelmed about AI and a further 38% are worried they won’t be able to keep up with developments at work.

Overall, however, workers seem to be open to embracing AI and there’s more of a focus on which skills will complement AI the most in their workplace. This has led to people looking to learn more about this technology and boost their ‘AI-Q’ score – a spin on the term IQ which refers to our knowledge of AI.

LinkedIn found that over half of people (56%) had already taken some steps to boost their ‘AI-Q’ score through experimenting with AI tools such as ChatGPT or reaching out to friends, family and colleagues for advice. But people still feel as though they’re falling behind these changes, and some have even pretended they know more about AI (26%) so they appeared knowledgeable in front of colleagues.

But why are so many of us looking to boost our AI-Q? Well, it’s all about getting ahead in our careers, with 76% saying they are excited to use AI in their work and 65% saying it will help with career progression.

Moving ahead with careers isn’t the only thing people are excited about, though. The research found that half of people surveyed are planning to use AI to get rid of boring work tasks and 40% plan to use it to help solve conflicts by asking advice on difficult situations in the workplace.

LinkedIn career expert Charlotte Davies says: “It’s understandable that getting up to speed can feel overwhelming, but it’s positive to see people are embracing the shift and focusing on the many benefits AI technology can bring to their working lives, including more time to focus on the work they care about and helping with career progression.”

Davies also explains how it’s clear that there’s an eagerness to learn more about AI. “We’re seeing a significant increase in conversations on LinkedIn, with members already adding AI skills to their profiles, but our data also highlights the enormous value of soft skills and how important these will be for the future as we continue to navigate this new tech and the change it brings,” she adds.

How to get started on boosting your AI-Q

If you’re looking to spruce up your CV or LinkedIn profile, Davies shares some tips on how to get started on getting to grips with AI.

Learn the lingo: Having the right language to understand AI could be your first step. “Study up on popular AI skills with resources like LinkedIn Learning where you can find the most popular AI courses unlocked for free until the end of the year. A good place to start is with How to Research and Write using generative AI, and What is generative AI.”

Embrace the experts and tap into your network: “Reach out to your network to share learnings and stay up to speed on AI by following thought leaders and subject matter experts,” Davies says.

Sharpen up your soft skills: Davies warns to not underestimate the importance of showcasing your soft skills, especially as the skills required for many jobs will change by at least 65% by 2030. “The top skills anticipated to be most in demand: problem solving, strategic thinking and time management.”

Take advantage of existing tools: Davies says using AI tools already available to you is a great place to start. LinkedIn has several resources you can use including its Skills Graph and collaborative articles which are published by the platform with insights added in by the LinkedIn community.

Acknowledge your AI worries: “It’s okay to feel a little nervous or overwhelmed with new technology. People felt similarly when the internet was introduced and it’s important to remember that these changes don’t happen overnight. These are long-term changes and you can do the work to be part of the change”, Davies shares.

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