In just a few years, AI has completely changed the way we work and the way employers hire. But while job expectations are evolving quickly, many workers have no formal training. This is creating what AI strategist Alicia Lyttle calls an “AI skills crisis.”
“In today’s climate, many people are understandably worried about layoffs and job displacement due to AI,” Lyttle, who gave a TedX talk on using AI for efficiency, tells ESSENCE. “But the reality is this: AI is not replacing people. People who know how to use AI are replacing those who don’t.”
In other words, AI literacy is required today. The problem? Employers are now expecting this from a workforce that, for the most part, has no formal AI training. “Technology has evolved faster than workforce development, leaving many professionals underprepared. Meanwhile, job roles are changing in real time,” she continues. “To address this, individuals must take ownership of their upskilling.”
Knowing how to use various tools powered by machine learning can help boost productivity and help stand out at the office. Rather than using AI to think for you, it’s important to think about it as more than just a chatbot and more like a “personal upskilling partner,” per Lyttle, who is also CEO of AI InnoVision. Below, the best AI tools to try at work and specific tips on how to implement them at the office.
The Best AI Tools for General Work Use
After the ultra-popular ChatGPT, there are a few AI tools that every professional should familiarize themselves with, Lyttle notes.
Google’s Gemini is often underrated. “It can generate images, create graphics, assist with presentations, and support creative and strategic workflows, especially useful for marketing, communications, and content-driven roles,” the AI CEO says.
Perplexity.ai is especially helpful for research. It’s like a search engine that reliably spits out backed-up answers. “Unlike many tools,” Lyttle adds. “it provides verified sources and citations, making it ideal for professionals who need credible, well-sourced information, whether for reports, strategy decks, or academic-style research.”
Microsoft Copilot can be smart to use if your organization already heavily relies on Microsoft products, like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more. Copilot is integrated into each of these and can help do anything from analyzing data, building presentations faster, and summarizing emails on Outlook.
4 Tips for Using AI at Work
Addressing the “AI skills crisis” — which describes the widening gap between workers who understand AI and those who don’t in the face of a rapidly evolving workplace — starts with some self-learning.
Choose a Clear Problem
To start, pick the tool you want to use, whether that’s ChatGPT or Gemini or something else listed above, and pick a problem you want to solve. Lyttle recommends trying to solve a personal problem first and then moving to professional problem solving. What’s most important in this is knowing how to ask the right questions with the ideal parameters. For someone worried about their lack of AI skills in a role, it’s worth simply asking your chatbot of choice, “How can I upskill in AI to stay relevant and future-proof my role?”
Get Great at Describing What You Want
What makes someone highly AI literate is how well they’re able to articulate what they want. This is why Lyttle says it’s key to “practice describing what you want.”
“If you can describe it, you can build it. AI responds to clarity. When you clearly explain a goal, outcome, or challenge, AI can walk you through the process, from planning to execution,” she says. “This applies to writing, building systems, marketing strategies, or even launching products.”
Know the Trends, Like Vibe Coding
It’s easier now than ever to code… without knowing how to code. There are now tools that help build applications based on directions and explanations from users, rather than inputted lines of code. This tech trend is called vibe coding, enabled by tools like Lovable. “This dramatically lowers the barrier to entry and makes non-technical professionals far more powerful,” the AI InnoVision CEO adds. It’s important to pay attention to trends like these.
Build Your Personal Portfolio of AI Tools
As more tools become available, it’s important not to get lost in the noise and to know which tools are most important for the work that you do. For someone whose work is heavily based on content and copy, ChatGPT may be most important. (Bonus points if you build your own GPT within the tool.) For a strategist who is often in research and building presentations, perhaps Gemini and Genspark might do the trick. Having a tailored tool stack equals a competitive advantage.
“Treat AI as an ongoing collaborator, not a one-time tool,” Lyttle says. “The more consistently you use it, the more value you unlock, especially when you personalize your workflows and refine how you ask questions.”