Artificial Intelligence has well and truly arrived and is spreading to all aspects of our lives at a very rapid pace. There are many who are afraid of AI, afraid of losing their job or afraid of the uncertainty that it brings. Many see AI as an opportunity and the third group comprises of people who are either ignorant or too confused about it.

Whether it is a threat or an opportunity, only time will tell. But it is certain that AI will be disruptive and create many changes. The changes will be so fast that people who do not adopt will be left behind. This means that skills that are relevant today will become obsolete, and we will have to learn new skills. Many industries, construction being one of these, are already grappling with shortage of skilled workforce. This does that mean that the shortage of skilled workforce will be wider. It may mean that those who are currently unskilled, will remain unskilled but from a different basket of skills! Those responsible for skilling, may become unskilled unless they recognize the different kind of gap that is likely to emerge.

Thus paradoxically, the more changes that AI brings, the more it will fail to change one aspect…..and that is the perennial skill gap!