Building Your Career in the Age of AI

What has changed and how to get ready

Just a few years ago, the rapid rise of generative AI reshaped how millions of people work, learn, and make decisions. What began as a tool for writing, translation, research, and visual content quickly evolved into something more personal: a digital adviser many now consult on decisions related to health, finances, and education. Despite the risks, its convenience makes it hard to put aside.

AI hasn’t only changed individual habits; it has transformed the world of work. A global race to acquire new skills has begun, and entirely new roles have emerged. Professionals across industries now rely on AI for writing, research, planning, and content creation. Students, meanwhile, are rethinking their majors and career paths as they face unsettling questions: Which skills will remain uniquely human? Which ones will shift to machines? How far will AI really go, and could entire professions disappear?

Opinions on these questions are sharply divided. Some, including prominent AI pioneers, warn of severe risks: large-scale job losses, loss of control over the technology, and major social disruption. Others take a more balanced view, arguing that AI will reshape work rather than erase it, primarily by enhancing productivity while preserving the human role. They emphasize that the true impact of AI depends on the choices societies make: how we use it, and what rules we put in place to govern it.

Governments and international organizations have responded by developing strategies along two main tracks. The first views AI as a driver of economic and social development, investing in innovation, growth, and improved services. The second focuses on protection: building strong legal and regulatory frameworks that safeguard privacy, ensure fairness, and reduce potential harms. AI has moved far beyond a promising technology; it is now a defining global issue tied to the future of work and society.

For young people especially, cutting through the hype and anxiety is essential. They need skills that equip them to participate in shaping the future, not just observe it. Critical thinking will help them distinguish fact from exaggeration, while technical skills will enable them to use AI tools effectively. Above all, they need deeply human strengths: creativity, communication, empathy, and ethical judgment, qualities no machine can authentically replace. With this combination, young people can shift from being worried spectators to active contributors.

Through this article, we offer a clearer look at how AI is transforming education and work. Two AI experts share practical insights drawn from years of hands-on experience, helping readers understand what to expect and how to prepare.

 

AI and the Future of Work

The world’s leading institutions, from the International Labour Organization to the World Economic Forum, are focused on a single question: What will AI do to our jobs? Their conclusion is clear: we are living through a fundamental transformation in the nature of work.

Public debate is split between two narratives. One warns of widespread job losses as entire professions face technological displacement. The other highlights emerging opportunities, with new roles created by AI technologies—many of which we cannot yet fully imagine. Yet both perspectives agree on one point: future career success will depend on a blend of advanced digital skills and deeply human soft skills.

A key concern is the future of entry-level roles, which traditionally serve as launching pads for new graduates. Will AI pull the ladder before young professionals can even attempt to climb up?

The data offers a sobering perspective. The International Labour Organization’s 2025 report projects that generative AI will fundamentally reshape nearly one-quarter of the world’s jobs, with routine office work most affected. These tasks, long the backbone of entry-level positions, are among the most vulnerable to automation.

Meanwhile, The World Economic Forum’s 2025 Future of Jobs Report predicts that AI and information-processing technologies will remain the primary drivers of labor-market change through 2030. While they estimate that 92 million jobs will be displaced, they also anticipate the creation of around 170 million new roles. In other words, for every job lost, almost two new ones are expected to emerge.

Which jobs are most at risk?

This rapidly shifting landscape presents a major challenge for young people entering the workforce. They’re expected to continually upgrade their skills to meet evolving employer demands, while education systems struggle to keep their curricula aligned with the pace of change.

Jobs most vulnerable to AI are those built around routine, repetitive tasks—roles that require little creativity, empathy, critical thinking, or ethical judgment. In most cases, the threat is not full replacement but partial automation. Positions that still rely on distinctly human abilities are far less likely to disappear, even as AI takes over their more predictable components.

A Call for Optimism

To better understand how AI is reshaping the world of work, we spoke with Dr. Sanjay Chawla, Chief Scientist at the Qatar Computing Research Institute (QCRI), Hamad Bin Khalifa University.

QCRI, established in 2010 under Hamad Bin Khalifa University, supports Qatar Foundation’s mission to strengthen the country’s innovation and technology capabilities and guide its transition from a carbon-based to a knowledge-based economy. Dr. Chawla’s research focuses on mining and machine learning. He contributed to Qatar’s first National AI Strategy (2019) and co-authored a 2021 report on the impact of AI on employment in the country, which clearly highlighted that white-collar jobs are likely to be more affected by AI than blue-collar jobs.

“Clearly, there are indications that some job tasks, like programming, are being impacted by AI. The technology is being used more for job augmentation, as we had predicted in our AI for Jobs report. AI is an excellent tool for idea generation. However, due to the problem of ‘hallucination’, when Generative AI makes occasional mistakes, output must be verified, for which some level of expertise is required,” Dr. Chawla explains.

Regarding agentic AI, systems capable of breaking down complex tasks into smaller, coordinated subtasks, Dr. Chawla believes it is too early to assess the full impact on advanced jobs, as the technology is still evolving. His advice is straightforward: avoid using AI for high-risk tasks where mistakes could be costly, but feel free to use it for medium or low-risk tasks where it can genuinely improve efficiency and performance.

Will we lose our cognitive abilities?

As reliance on generative AI grows, many worry that constant use of tools like ChatGPT could weaken our cognitive abilities. If we turn to AI for every answer, will we eventually lose our ability to think for ourselves?

According to Dr. Chawla, the evidence so far does not support these concerns. He believes AI will not erode critical thinking or problem-solving skills, but it may change how we apply them. The key, he says, is in how we choose to use AI. It should be treated as a tool that enhances our thinking, not a substitute for it. As long as we maintain that balance, our cognitive abilities will be just fine.

“The jury is out on that. Similar arguments were made about calculators forty years ago. The fact is that new technology always displaces jobs, but there is no real evidence that human critical thinking and problem-solving skills are negatively impacted. In fact, the evidence points in the other direction. Take the example of chess. Although AI platforms can easily beat humans, the game’s popularity among humans is growing,” he explains.

Balanced perspective

Amid growing concerns among students about their academic and career prospects in the age of AI, Dr. Chawla offers a balanced outlook, one that is both realistic and optimistic. Rather than viewing AI as a threat or competitor, he encourages students to adopt a smart, proactive approach: embrace AI, understand its fundamentals, and explore it according to their interests. But he stresses an important distinction: AI should be used as a knowledge enhancer, not a shortcut.

Learning to work with AI is no longer optional for professionals across all sectors. Labor market reports indicate that AI-related skills are now among the most sought-after by employers. For professionals already in the workforce, acquiring these skills is crucial to staying competitive.

Dr. Chawla notes that today’s situation mirrors the moment computers first entered the workplace. Everyone, regardless of age or experience, had to learn basic computer skills to remain relevant. The same is now true for artificial intelligence. He urges professionals to actively look for opportunities within their daily workflow to integrate AI tools—starting with small, manageable use cases and ensuring that AI is used in a reliable and responsible manner.

His core advice is clear: “Get familiar with the basics of AI and understand both its strengths and weaknesses. Current AI technology is known to have a capability– reliability gap. Everybody needs to be aware of that and use it in a judicious and prudent manner,” he says.

Dr. Chawla also believes generative AI could significantly accelerate Qatar’s tech sector. He offers a compelling example: “If the State can deploy its own AI cloud and use both internal and external talent to build locally relevant AI applications in fields like Oil & Gas, and healthcare, then with the leverage that GenAI provides it can gain a competitive edge over regional competitors.”

How to start a career in AI?

By now, it’s clear: AI is not just a trend. It is a defining force shaping the future of work and it’s evolving at lightning speed. Embracing AI, learning to work with it, and leveraging it will be essential to developing your career.

But what if you want to build your career within AI itself? If you’re a student mapping your professional path, you may be asking: Is this the right field for me and if so, where do I start? While only you can decide your fit, we can point you in the right direction.

We spoke with Dr. Maria Nazir, Assistant Professor in Artificial Intelligence at City University Qatar in partnership with Ulster University. She teaches in the Bachelor of Engineering in Artificial Intelligence, the first program of its kind in Qatar, launched in 2023. Her experience spans machine learning, healthcare, and explainable AI, while her research focuses on artificial intelligence in medical imaging, image processing, computer vision, and machine learning for data analysis.

Dr. Nazir is passionate about shaping the next generation of AI leaders. She believes AI suits students who enjoy problem solving, logical reasoning, and creativity.

“If you’re interested in how technology may replicate human intelligence, such as vision, speech, or decision-making, you’re already thinking like an AI researcher. Strong interests in mathematics, statistics, computer science, and data analysis form a solid basis.” She explains further, “however, curiosity, persistence, and ethical awareness are equally vital, because AI is about altering how society utilizes technology responsibly, not just the technical aspects.”

Alongside writing, content creation, translation, and customer service, programming is among the fields most impacted by generative AI. Some have argued that coding is no longer worth learning, while others question computer science as a career choice. The reality is different. Generative AI is transforming software development, but mostly in positive ways: it boosts productivity and handles routine tasks, while human developers remain essential for understanding context, designing complex systems, ensuring security, and reviewing AI output.

Simple websites or prototypes can be generated by AI, but building robust, scalable applications remains a human job. In short, AI has completely reshaped programming. Developers are now architects, supervisors, and critical editors, focusing on the most creative and complex work. AI is a powerful co-pilot, not a replacement.

“Computer science offers the logical and mathematical foundation for AI. While modern AI technologies simplify some coding tasks, understanding how algorithms function behind the scenes is crucial. Programming allows you to use, customize, and create AI technologies. Combined with critical thinking, creativity, and subject knowledge, it makes students more versatile in an AI-driven world,” she says.

Despite the advances of agentic AI, Dr. Nazir believes it is unlikely to replace leadership or complex decision-making roles: “These roles require judgement, empathy, ethical reasoning and responsibility, and they are all unique to humans. Instead, I envision AI as a powerful collaborator taking over routine jobs while humans focus on creativity, strategy, and innovation.”

Finally, Dr. Nazir offers essential advice for anyone looking to break into the AI field.

• Build a solid foundation in mathematics, programming, and logical reasoning – the “language” of AI.
• Explore free AI tools, coding lessons, and small projects, such as chatbots or data analysis.
• Stay curious about real-world challenges like healthcare, climate change, education, and social issues. AI is a tool; the best AI specialists understand which issues are worth solving.
• Cultivate ethical thinking and ask yourself not only what AI can accomplish, but also what it should do.
• Consider sustainable approaches and support green AI initiatives.

Dr. Maria Nazir highlights some key career tracks in AI:

Current Occupations

• Machine Learning Engineer
• Data Scientist
• AI Research Scientist
• Computer Vision/NLP Specialist
• AI Specialist in Healthcare, Finance, and Robotics

Emerging Occupations

• AI Ethicist
• AI Safety Engineer
• Human-AI Interaction Designer
• AI Policy Specialist