Aaron Bauhs’05, double-major in Studio Art and Business Administration, currently a partner at IBM-Consulting and originally from Decorah, Iowa, stood in front of a packed room, eager to share his insights on the rapidly evolving world of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
“AI is not just a buzzword,” Aaron emphasized. “It’s a game-changer. 69% of CROs recognize its broad benefits, and it is reshaping careers as we speak.” He explained that people at all levels often confuse Traditional AI with Generative AI. Traditional AI encompasses advanced analytics, machine learning, and deep learning, whereas Generative AI is built on Foundation Models, which are fundamentally different.
Aaron shared examples of AI in action, highlighting its capabilities in summarization, customer service, and code writing. He discussed how AI can accelerate and enrich customer issue resolution, leading to higher satisfaction rates and reduced costs. In contracting and invoicing, AI can summarize complex agreements, match clauses, and even identify potential contradictions, saving millions of dollars. He also mentioned the importance of human oversight, as AI needs a “human touch” to ensure accuracy and relevance.
Aaron warned about the risks associated with Generative AI, including difficulties in verifying its outputs, understanding its decision-making processes, addressing ethical dilemmas, and perpetuating existing biases. He stressed the importance of thoughtful and responsible integration of this technology.
Aaron’s own journey as a consultant had been marked by flexibility and variety. He had worked on projects ranging from sales strategy to website development, always adapting and learning. “As a consultant, you’ll enjoy a constant paycheck and the freedom to tailor your life to suit your needs,” he said. “You’ll spend your time in front of a computer, writing and networking with clients and team members. It’s a challenging yet rewarding career path.”
As Aaron explored the future of work, he revealed exciting new career paths emerging in the field. These include specialized roles like:
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Model Selection & Tuning
- Prompt Engineering
- Domain Context Management
- Content Grounding
- Application Logic API Integration
- Enterprise Data
- Security
- Monitoring & Evaluation
Aaron encouraged the students to seize these opportunities and provided valuable
resources, such as the 8-week long SummerAccelerator Program to help them get started. He even offered to share his personal referral code with students, making it easier for them to apply for positions at IBM (please, reach out to before applying to any position at IBM to be eligible for the referral).
The audience was engaged and curious, asking questions that sparked lively discussions. Aaron’s presentation opened doors to the exciting possibilities of AI, inspiring the Beloiters to embrace the future of work with enthusiasm and curiosity.
April 30, 2024
