Artificial intelligence in schools has provoked plenty of speculation among educators about the implications for its use. Teachers and administrators have long debated whether AI could ever automate their jobs, forcing educators to find other careers.

Could AI automate school IT, and if so, what happens to everyone’s job, especially in the IT department?

It’s already happening, and schools are preparing students to develop more AI automation, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be out of a job.

Your job duties may change.

AI automation already works behind the scenes

IT departments have long incorporated AI automation in schools. Automated technology has, for example, brought about personalized learning. Students engage in individualized lessons, and AI programs aid teachers in identifying and diagnosing learning difficulties among students. The result is more effective instruction delivered to match the student’s instructional pace.

A recent Spiceworks survey indicates that more than half of all IT departments already rely on AI automation for some of their repetitive tasks.

For example, your IT department may have established a helpdesk in which every service ticket follows an organized workflow. Chatbots have streamlined the process by moving requests up and down the queue based on priority. They also work 24/7, whereas the IT department needs time away.

The result is a more efficient and effective system that allows people to focus on other tasks.

Preparing students and schools for change

You may know people who are in denial about the acceptance of technological advances, but schools are embracing the potential of AI automation by encouraging students to learn new automation technologies themselves.  Lambda Schools, for example, positions their students for hire in high-paying tech jobs after completing rigorous, hands-on classes.

Lambda School isn’t a physical place; students access their courses online and participate in internships. They are ready to work by the time they graduate, and the students learning how to create artificial intelligence today may be rebuilding your school IT programs tomorrow.

Keep your IT job – for now

Ignore AI automation advances in schools – or any other industry, for that matter — and you may find that AI automation has indeed left you behind.

AI automation will replace repetitive and tedious tasks, leaving you more time for strategic thinking. Although your job becomes redefined or disappears altogether, new opportunities will arise, and you’ll be needed for those.

Take advantage of these opportunities by becoming an AI automation advocate for school IT with savvy strategies like these:

• Create value.

AI automation will only be as good as the people designing and implementing it. That means learning how to innovate AI automation and influence decision-making. By leading with vision and even networking with other departments, you become an indispensable member of your school’s IT team.

• Learn as much as you can.

Change can appear threatening unless you know what to expect. By embracing new technology and becoming an AI automation subject matter expert, you’ll find it less scary than you think. You’ll also build your credibility and position yourself for advancement rather than obsolescence.

• Be flexible.

AI automation will create opportunity in the form of new jobs, many of which are not yet in existence. Your job title and your duties may change, but tech advocates are indispensable.

AI automation is still in its infancy, but it continues to grow quickly. By growing with it, you’ll have a long professional career ahead of you.