Work today doesn’t look much like it did a decade ago. Roles that once sounded experimental — machine learning, automation, even digital ethics — are now showing up in regular job ads. For anyone thinking about their career, whether that means staying put or making a change, one thing’s clear: knowing how to work with AI has shifted from “nice extra” to “essential” in 2025.
And it isn’t just the tech world. AI is slipping into workflows everywhere, from hospitals to classrooms, film studios to banks and even here in our local parliamentary offices. The demand isn’t limited to coders either. People across industries are being asked to understand these tools and use them well.
Here are some of the places where that demand is already growing:
- Media and Creative Work
Creative industries are often the first to play with new technology, and AI has quickly joined the mix. Instead of replacing writers, editors or directors, it’s giving them ways to try things faster and test ideas before committing to a full production.
One example is the rise of tools that let you use generative AI for text to video. A copywriter can grab a few lines of script and spin up a rough visual draft in minutes. A marketing department can experiment with three campaign ideas side by side without hiring a full crew each time. It’s not so much about cutting corners, but rather about clearing time and space for the stuff that really matters: the storytelling.
- Art, Gaming, and Design
Artists and game designers are also experimenting, and for them, AI is more like a sketchpad than a finished product. It helps them try out variations quickly, spark new directions, and fill in the background work so they can focus on the details that give projects soul.
The real trick is knowing how to write AI art prompts that get the effect you want. A few words can change the whole feel of what comes out — from the mood of a landscape to the detail of a character. Designers use this as a tool to spin up rapid variations for clients, while game developers use it to flesh out environments that feel bigger than their budget or team might otherwise allow. The technology does the grunt work, but the vision still belongs to the artist.
- Healthcare and Life Sciences
Healthcare is one of the sectors where change is happening fastest. AI is already helping doctors and nurses spot issues earlier, analyse scans in mere seconds, and even give researchers a head start on new treatments. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not about replacing professionals. Instead, it’s removing some of the heavy lifting so people can focus on care and decision making. No algorithm can substitute the years of education, intuition and judgment that medical professionals bring to their jobs.
For those already in the field, the real skill lies in knowing how to work alongside these tools. For a nurse, that might mean deploying smarter scheduling software to keep rosters running efficiently. For a doctor, this could mean using AI to support a diagnosis, and then translating that diagnosis into clear, simple language for patients. Researchers can use AI to run experiments faster, but it’s still their expertise that turns raw results into real discoveries. Ultimately, it’s the marriage of clever tools and human wisdom that keeps healthcare moving forward.
- Finance and Business Analysis
Finance has always been incredibly data-heavy, so it’s no surprise the industry has welcomed AI with open arms. Banks are already using it to flag dodgy transactions in real time, investment firms rely on it to scan headlines and market data faster than any human analyst could, and even small accounting teams are experimenting with AI tools to cut down on repetitive admin.
For people working in finance, the opportunity isn’t about being replaced by algorithms and more about knowing how to work alongside them. An analyst who can clean up data, feed it into a model, and then question what comes back is suddenly far more valuable than someone who only ticks boxes.
And it’s not just the backroom quants who need this awareness. Advisors, consultants, and client-facing staff who can explain how these systems work (and where their limits are) will find themselves in high demand. In a sector built on trust, the mix of technical fluency and human judgment is what keeps careers future-proof.
- Education and Training
Education is another area where change is coming quickly. Schools and universities are starting to test out AI tutors, adaptive learning platforms, and automated assessments. For vocational training, simulations are being used to help students practise in a safe environment before stepping into the real world. It can also make learning more personalised, engaging and flexible, which is something that traditional classrooms have sometimes struggled to provide.
However, it’s important to point out what this doesn’t mean. Upskilling in this space isn’t about looking to AI for plagiarism, cutting corners, or letting machines do the thinking for you. The real opportunity is in using AI responsibly — creating interactive modules, tailoring resources to students’ needs and freeing teachers up to focus on the development of critical thinking and problem solving. Professionals who can strike this balance,are the ones education providers are already competing to hire.
- Retail and Customer Experience
If you’ve ever shopped online and been impressed by the strangely accurate “you might also like” section, you’ve seen AI at work. Retailers are now using AI to track demand, predict stock shortages, and personalise the individual shopping experience. But AI isn’t just a tool for eCommerce. In physical stores, customer service is being supported by smart chatbots or recommendation engines that free up staff to handle trickier requests.
For people working in retail, this doesn’t mean fewer jobs (which is a common concern when it comes to AI) — but it does mean different jobs. Staff who understand how these systems work, and who can adjust or explain them to customers, are increasingly valuable in this day and age. It’s the combination of traditional customer service with a new layer of technical fluency that makes people stand out.
Bolster your AI Skills to Meet your Goals as an Industry Professional
And there you have it. AI is finding its place in all sorts of industries, from the fast-moving world of media to the structured systems of healthcare and finance. It’s not just about tech companies anymore — creatives, teachers, researchers and even retail staff are finding uses for AI that can make their work easier, or more interesting.
If you’re thinking about upskilling, the best thing you can do is stay open to what’s changing in your own field. Play around with the tools, see what’s useful, and add it to what you already know. Work will keep shifting, but people who stay curious usually find the easiest time adjusting.