125 - Generative AI: Key to Career Advancement, but Anxieties Remain (with Gavin Barfield of Salesforce)

07-11-2023 • 22 mins

Gavin Barfield is the Vice President and Chief Technology Officer for Solutions Salesforce, ASEAN. With over 20 years of experience in the IT industry, Gavin has a deep background in emerging technologies. He is a regular speaker at international conferences and forums on the future of disruptive technology and its impact on people and work.

Summary:

Generative AI is a rapidly evolving technology that has the potential to transform the workplace. In a recent survey by Salesforce, it was found that Singaporean workers believe generative AI is key to career advancement, but many have anxieties about keeping up. Gavin Barfield, the Vice President and CTO for Solutions Salesforce, ASEAN, discusses the findings of the survey and the potential for generative AI to transform the workplace. He explains how businesses can enable and empower their workforce with AI training and how organizations can support employees in embracing and adapting to generative AI. Gavin also highlights the importance of trust and ethics in implementing generative AI and the need for companies to have defined policies and training programs in place.

Key Takeaways:

Generative AI is not just about making predictions based on historic data; it is about generating new content such as images, text, videos, and sounds.
Generative AI can be applied across various areas of work, including sales, service, marketing, and HR.
Companies that embrace generative AI and provide training are more attractive to employees and can potentially lead to salary increments and promotions.
Lack of training and defined policies are barriers to using AI more effectively in the workplace.
Trust and ethics are crucial in implementing generative AI, and companies need to ensure data security and integrity.
Salesforce's Einstein Copilot is a tool that helps automate tasks and provides suggestions and guidance to users, increasing productivity and efficiency.

---