Computing students and experts predict changing cognitive skills in AI future
Cognitive Skills in the Age of AI: Computing Students and Experts Perceptions
Human-Computer InteractionArtificial Intelligence
Summary
AI is becoming a bigger part of how people work with computers, and this study asked both computing students and experts which brain skills are important now and will be important in the future. They found that many thinking skills might become less important as AI helps with those tasks, but skills like critical thinking will still matter a lot. The study also collected reasons why these changes might happen and how students can get ready for them.
What this means in practice
- •For corporate training teams: Design training programs for computing employees focused on strengthening critical thinking as AI alters other cognitive skill demands.
- •For professional development planners: Update career development paths in IT firms to emphasize adaptability in cognitive skills amidst increasing AI integration.
A survey. It maps existing work.
Authors
Neha Rani, Vu Minh Anh Le, Austin M. Spangler, Erta Cenko
Abstract
AI is becoming increasingly integrated into daily workflows, especially in computing. We are gradually shifting towards an AI-rich future, an impending yet unknown one. One important emerging concern is whether we are accordingly preparing our future computing workforce. Further, we need to know what the important cognitive skills are to remain relevant in the computing workforce and if there are changes in cognitive skill importance. To investigate this direction, we conducted a mixed-methods study, collecting perceptions from computing students and computing experts regarding the importance of cognitive skills in the past, present, and future. We report that the perceived importance of most cognitive skills will decrease in the future, with an AI-rich environment, but critical thinking skills remain important. Further, we report reasons collected through interviews on why the importance of cognitive skills will change and how future computing students can prepare for it.