Embracing the AI Era: Why Upskilling in Critical Thinking is Essential

January 21, 2025

As we step into a new year, I’ve been exploring how artificial intelligence (AI) is redefining the way we work, live, and interact. In my readings on AI’s impact, one theme has stood out: the importance of upskilling, particularly in critical thinking. The rise of AI adds urgency to this need, making critical thinking a non-negotiable asset for professionals across industries. This blog shares some of the insights I’ve discovered and how you can integrate them into your career and professional development plans for the year ahead.

The Role of Critical Thinking in an AI-Driven World

AI excels at automating tasks, analyzing datasets, and identifying patterns, but it lacks the nuanced judgment, creativity, and ethical reasoning of humans. Critical thinking bridges this gap, ensuring AI outputs are contextualized, questioned, and applied effectively. This synergy allows professionals to leverage AI's strengths while navigating complex scenarios. For example, in public procurement, AI might identify patterns in supplier performance or flag potential risks in a contract. However, critical thinking is essential for procurement professionals to evaluate these findings, consider contextual factors like market conditions or supplier relationships, and make balanced decisions. This combination of AI and human insight ensures more strategic and ethical procurement practices.

For procurement professionals and others, effectively working with AI means integrating human judgment into AI processes. Here are three key areas where critical thinking makes a difference:

Interpret AI-Generated Insights: Humans must interpret and apply AI’s data-driven recommendations.

Solve Complex Problems: Critical thinking adds context and innovation beyond AI’s pattern recognition.

Navigate Ethical Challenges: Professionals ensure responsible AI use through ethical reasoning.

Why Upskilling Matters Now

According to McKinsey & Company, organizations who take a more strategic approach to addressing the people aspect of AI are best positioned to capture the full value of the technology. IBM’s AI Upskilling Strategy highlights this gap, emphasizing the pressing need for proactive professional development.

Practical Steps to Build Critical Thinking Skills

Critical thinking can be cultivated through deliberate effort. Steps include:

Continuous Learning: Online platforms offer courses aimed at helping professionals apply critical thinking to AI-related challenges. These courses enhance skills for interpreting AI insights, assessing their relevance, and integrating them into effective decision-making processes.

Challenging Assumptions: Revisit established norms and consider alternative perspectives to adapt effectively to new challenges.

Collaborating Across Disciplines: Engage with diverse teams to integrate varied perspectives, fostering richer and more innovative solutions.

Ethical Decision-Making: Apply real-world scenarios to evaluate the potential impacts and ethical considerations of AI-driven decisions.

Seeking Feedback: Actively seek input from peers and stakeholders to refine approaches and ensure well-rounded decision-making.

The January 2025 issue of TD magazine’s article "The Era of Master Thinkers" introduces six stages of critical thinking development—from unreflective to master thinker—and explains how these stages can guide professionals in navigating AI-driven challenges. By fostering psychological safety and encouraging openness to new ideas, organizations can empower teams to critically assess and apply AI-generated insights effectively. For additional details, you can refer to the full article in TD magazine.

Organizations’ Role in Fostering Critical Thinking

Organizations can:

Integrate Critical Thinking into Training: Jobs for the Future emphasizes training beyond technical skills.

Encourage Open Dialogue: Create environments for questioning AI outputs.

Invest in Diverse Teams: Diversity fosters richer discussions.

Provide Learning Resources: Online resources make learning accessible to employees.

The Consequences of Inaction

A lack of critical thinking can lead to poor outcomes. For example, in public procurement, over-reliance on AI might result in misjudging vendor qualifications or risks, such as awarding contracts to suppliers flagged as low-risk by AI but lacking sufficient context or historical performance reviews. This highlights the need for human oversight to interpret AI findings accurately. Professionals without critical thinking skills may find themselves challenged by AI, while organizations lagging in fostering these skills risk falling behind competitors.

A Call to Action

AI is now an integral part of our professional landscape, and developing critical thinking skills is more important than ever. At NIGP, we are actively using AI in the development of our educational offerings and exploring how it can provide more personalized learning experiences and career path assistance. Additionally, we are committed to offering more training around AI at upcoming conferences. By strengthening critical thinking abilities, you can position yourself to thrive both personally and professionally. Professionals who combine technical know-how with strong critical-thinking skills will be at the forefront of innovation and ethical leadership. This year presents a perfect opportunity to embrace AI’s potential and start building the skills that will help you succeed.

References

IBM. "AI Upskilling Strategy" by Keith O’Brien, Writer, IBM Consulting and Amanda Downie, Editorial Content Strategist, IBM. October 15, 2024.

McKinsey & Company. "Upskilling and Reskilling Priorities for the Gen AI Era" by Lisa Christensen, Sandra Durth, Kiera Jones, and Naveed Rashid. September 30, 2024.