How I think AI is being used in my profession

Based on my studies in my major, I believe that AI is making significant contributions to the field of management of Information and Communication Technology . Since our focus is on enhancing the business through technology, and since technology in the current world primarily refers to AI, AI interference is significant. Academically, we use AI tools in our classes to do some projects. For example, in one of my major classes, we were required to create dashboards using a tool named Power BI (BI stands for Business Intelligence), which is an AI tool. In addition, we created tables, queries, and reports using Lucid Chart, which is an AI tool that we prompt to give us results related to our data used in business processes. In the workplace, we have studied a lot of applications that are being used in real life in companies to enhance the business through AI. Of course, there are basic AI systems like chatbots and RPA (Robotic Process Automation) that perform repetitive tasks to save time for workers. However, there are major advanced systems that are being used in companies, like predictive analytics, which is an AI system that predicts the upcoming events for businesses from sales, profits, or even losses to avoid any problem and take immediate action depending on the predicted issues. Internet of Things (IOT) is also an AI device that is used by companies of manufacturing companies to be linked with the prod        ucts that they produce to predict any expected issues with the device or stay connected to the sensors of the company to send an immediate maintenance support for the customer.

AI suggestions on how it can be used in my field

AI gave me information on how it is used for IT operations, as it helps perform tasks faster than humans, which saves time, and it is also used in detection to detect any unusual behavior to take immediate action. Furthermore, AI is being used in cloud systems to make them smarter, faster, and more efficient. They are used for source allocation and reduce costs by detecting any waste in source allocation. In addition, AI systems help in telecom companies by providing instant help to customers through chatbots and virtual agents etc. It also helps deliver more personalized product suggestions based on customer data and history. AI also mentioned points like software development through automatic updates for systems and delay reduction. Future advancements in AI in my field might include AI-powered cybersecurity and autonomous IT systems, etc.

I have interviewed Dr Ahmed Salama, a professor in the MICT major, and asked him some questions about the adoption of AI in his field.

Dr Ahmed discussed the application of AI systems in education and business contexts, highlighting how universities and companies are leveraging AI for student assessment, data analysis, and automation while addressing barriers like computing costs and data cleanliness. He emphasized the importance of finding value-driven AI use cases and maintaining responsible AI usage through proper governance and security measures, while also discussing the impact of AI on jobs and the need for AI-savvy graduates. Dr Ahmed stressed the importance of balancing AI usage with human creativity and knowledge, and addressed accountability issues in AI-driven buses. Business decisions, particularly in sectors requiring transparency.

I have interviewed Dr Hanan Mousa, a professor in the MICT department, and she has provided me with many insights about the new advancements in AI in her field.

Dr Hanan highlighted key areas including:

AI Solutions Across Industries: AI can be categorized into solutions for IT users and AI solutions themselves.  She provided examples in various sectors.

Healthcare: AI offers significant utility, including customer assistance via chatbots/AI agents that can help with information and even booking appointments (e.g., finding highly-rated dentists).  Beyond that, specialized AI tools in healthcare can provide not just diagnosis but also recommendations with automated reporting, leveraging large, specific datasets to discover relationships (e.g., in COVID-19 research).

Data Analytics and Hidden Relationships: AI, combined with large datasets, is crucial for data analytics across industries like finance and marketing.  It helps discover hidden relationships and factors that influence outcomes, driving business intelligence and data science.

Evolution of Automation: AI agents are the “next level” beyond Robotic Process Automation (RPA), moving from simple automation to the execution of complex tasks, including auto-healing in IT systems and advanced e-commerce transactions.

AI in IT Development: AI agents are increasingly automating phases of software development (SDLC), from requirements definition to design, development (e.g., low-code/no-code platforms), testing, and deployment.  This shifts the focus from manual coding to effective tool utilization.

Challenges and Future: Key barriers include cultural resistance and the ethical questions surrounding AI (e.g., accountability in autonomous systems).  However, users are often quicker to adopt.  Technological advancements, like cheaper GPU computing, are making AI more accessible and cost-effective, expanding its potential.

In essence, AI is transforming industries by enabling more sophisticated automation, advanced data analysis, and proactive problem-solving, pushing the boundaries of what machines can do.

Reflection on the assignment

Although the assignment was challenging, I have benefited a lot from taking professor’s experience in my field. I have learned from Dr Ahmed that as AI advancement continues, the need for human guidance is required to manage and revise AI tasks. The field of MICT will always require human entities, especially for the business sphere, since AI systems cannot work independently; they always require human drivers who manage the businesses. Additionally, I was surprised by Dr Hanan’s response when I asked her:  What are the biggest barriers organizations face when trying to adopt AI-driven solutions in MICT? And her answer was a cultural barrier because we cannot decide who is accountable if mistakes happen that cause harm to someone or an organisation. Huge AI applications in big companies and businesses are significantly different from models like ChatGPT or Gemini; therefore, we are not usually concerned with ethical barriers, as huge AI systems are used in healthcare institutions and so on.

What really scares me is being unable to compete in such a field where AI is taking over many tasks, but my interviewees mentioned that although there are some jobs that will disappear, new types of jobs will exist. I felt that what we are being taught in our classes at university is traditional content that does not really prepare students for the future dominated by AI. Thus, I have asked the interviewees: Most university MICT courses still teach the same old topics (ERP, databases, project management, basic cybersecurity). How much do we need to completely rethink what we teach students who want to lead IT teams in the future? I was told that curricula are already advancing; however, they are too slow compared to the fast advancements happening every day. Therefore, universities should adapt systems in which students are always in touch with new technologies that are entering their field.

Overall, what I should be doing now after taking insights from this assignment is to prepare myself for the AI future by self-studying not only the curriculum I study in the university. I realized that if I did not help myself adapt to the new AI world, I would not find my position and would be unable to compete in my work.

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