—By PK Agarwal, Dean, UCSC Silicon Valley Extension

You’ve probably read it in the headlines: AI is taking your job! Cue the panic scene. But, here’s the truth: AI isn’t taking your job. It’s demanding we do our jobs differently.

People who know how to leverage AI tools are outpacing those who don’t. The real shift isn’t about entire professions disappearing overnight. It’s about how every role—marketing, engineering, HR, finance—is being rapidly reshaped.

As Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, said, “AI is not going to replace people, but people who use AI will replace people who don’t.”

Every layoff isn’t an AI story

In a tough economy, fear is amplified by all that is unknown. There is a lot unknown about AI and how it will impact us all. So, yes, the job market is changing. But, no, please don’t think you need to throw away your career and start from scratch. You don’t need to rush into a life transition. Instead, be strategic. Take a breath.

Upskill, don’t overhaul

A career pivot can be a viable long-term strategy—if you truly want it. In the short term, however, the smarter move is to strengthen your profile and identify new skills you’ll need for today’s job market.

You already have what it takes: valuable expertise. Now is the time to learn how AI can make the work you already do even better. Pair what you know—all of your expertise—with the constantly evolving set of new AI tools.

Turn over the repetitive tasks. Begin to integrate basic AI tools and learn next-level ones to be faster, more effective, and more competitive. Think in new ways.

Avoid the beginner’s trap

Don’t get lulled into a false sense of security. Tinkering with free versions of ChatGPT, Claude, and other popular large language models is a great starting point, but it’s not a strategy. Being AI-ready means you are integrating AI into your workflows, into problem-solving and decision making.

"I see a future where I’m using machine learning and AI systems on a daily basis," said Fred Brown, an embedded test engineer and an alum who returns to UCSC Extension whenever he needs to pick up new skills. In his last AI for Robotics course he predicted that most jobs will soon overlap AI and machine learning.

If you are in management, this applies to you too. Upskilling your teams is not only an insurance policy, it is a growth strategy.

How to be AI-Ready

“AI is taking the world by storm,” says Nicole Sharratt, a UX professional and chair of the recently refreshed UX Design program at UCSC Silicon Valley Extension. Sharratt has spearheaded the integration of AI-powered design solutions, accessibility standards, and ethical design practices into the curriculum, starting with the entry course: User Experience Design Fundamentals, all the way through to the final Capstone User Experience Project. “Students need to leverage AI to design innovative, ethical, and human-centered user experiences.”

At UCSC Silicon Valley Extension, we recognized this early. We launched one of the first AI certificates and built a portfolio of courses that help professionals in every field get “AI-ready.” In addition to the deep dives into AI tech, we have AI-infused courses in project management, business, and bioscience. Our instructors are real-world executives and practitioners who work with these tools every day. They help you translate new tools directly to your job.

“Our Marketing Management program blends Silicon Valley strategies with AI tools and data-driven techniques to help students create campaigns that deliver measurable growth,” said Ly Pham, chair of the Marketing Management certificate program. “We weave AI into the learning process, from generative AI for content creation to applying analytics and automation tools.”

Your smartest move

Jump in. If you’re not sure where to begin, join us for a free online webinar, a workshop, or a longer course in any industry. Don’t panic, just start learning, and lead the change.

“AI is the new electricity.” said AI pioneer Andrew Ng. It will power every profession if you know how to connect the wires.

One course changes everything.