How to Work With Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) Without Software Development Experience

There are countless reasons why business specialists and academics would want to work alongside AGI technology. Most notably: 

1. Impact on society—AGI has the potential to transform every industry, from education to healthcare to global policy. Individuals may be driven to ensure AGI benefits these fields through ethical and impactful development. 
2. Shaping ethical and responsible AI—As AGI advances, ethicists, policy-makers, and legal experts are needed to shape the frameworks and guidelines that ensure AGI is developed and deployed responsibly.  
3. Professional growth and career development— Contributing to AGI offers a chance to expand knowledge, engage with cutting-edge technology, and open up new career pathways as more industries intersect with AI.
4. Influencing the future of work— As AGI becomes more integrated in the workplace, non-technical individuals have the opportunity to shape how these technologies are implemented and how they impact jobs and productivity. They can help ensure that AGI enhances, rather than displaces, human workers and integrate AGI in a way that complements human workforces.
5. Global collaboration and inclusivity— AGI is a global effort, and non-technical professionals can ensure its development is inclusive by advocating for projects that consider different cultures, languages, and perspectives, ensuring the benefits of AGI are distributed equitably.

Employee motivations align with business priorities, as a HubSpot AI survey found that 66% of business leaders have begun hiring employees specifically to leverage and implement AI.

When most people think of AGI, they envision coding experts and software engineers. However, non-technical professionals are integral for enhancing AI reasoning for business functions and addressing complex human-centric challenges. 

There are two primary avenues professionals can take to contribute to AGI:

1. AGI deployment–involves building and integrating AI technologies into real-world applications while testing, refining, and optimizing them for better performance. 
2. AGI advancement–refers to the improvement of AI capabilities through research, training, and targeted enhancements to optimize the solution for better performance. 

When it comes to AGI deployment, non-technical domain experts can apply their specialized knowledge to improve the reasoning and accuracy of AI systems in some of the following ways: 

• Enhancing visual and audio perception: Use human intelligence to improve AI systems beyond their limitations in understanding context, emotions, and handling complex sensory inputs. Improve AI’s ability to recognize and interpret visual and audio data more accurately, making AI interactions more natural and intuitive. 
• Complex problem-solving: Train AI solutions to manage uncertainty, make decisions with incomplete information, and solve problems in a more human-like manner. 
• Creativity: Help AI recognize patterns and interpret creativity to improve its ability to generate novel ideas. 
• Strengthening social engagement: Work on enhancing AGI’s ability to recognize and respond to emotions, interpret body language, and engage in socially appropriate and effective ways. 
• Applying domain expertise: Train AGI systems to understand and apply domain-specific knowledge so it can perform specialized tasks and make informed decisions in real-world situations. 

Once AI solutions are deployed, they often require teams to support their implementation, training, and enhancements. Non-technical professionals can support AGI advancement tasks in some of the following ways: 

• Task automation: implementing AI into existing organizational workflows for improved productivity, operational efficiency, or reduced costs.
• Data interpretation: translating AI outputs into actionable insights
• Risk management: monitoring fraud detection and cybersecurity
• Ethical oversight: ensuring AI systems are developed in compliance with ethical standards and legal regulations.
• Training and development: Designing training programs to help employees integrate AI into their workflows.
• Communication: Explaining AI to internal and external audiences, managing an organization’s narrative around AI, or addressing PR about AI impacts.
• User experience enhancement: Designing AI interfaces that are user-friendly

Depending on your background and expertise, there are countless ways to apply your existing skills and research to opportunities working with AGI technologies. Some of the key pathways for non-technical professionals to work within the field of AI is through:

Data curators and annotators prepare and label the data used to train LLMs and AGI systems. Domain expertise ensures that the data is relevant, accurate, and appropriately labeled. Data analysts translate specialized and complex data into informed business strategies.

As AGI develops, ethical considerations and policy frameworks are crucial. Those with backgrounds in philosophy, law, or public policy can contribute by shaping the ethical guidelines and regulatory standards that govern AGI.

Project managers are necessary to oversee the planning, execution, and delivery of AI projects. They coordinate between technical teams and business stakeholders, ensuring that AI initiatives align with organizational goals and are completed on time and within budget.

UX designers focus on creating intuitive, user-friendly interfaces for AI systems. They ensure that AI tools are accessible and easy to use, making complex technologies more approachable for non-experts.

Those with backgrounds in education, communications, or public relations can help bridge the gap between the technical aspects of AI and the broader public. Communications specialists manage the narrative around AI initiatives, educating stakeholders and the public about the benefits and challenges of AI. They craft messaging that promotes transparency and builds trust in AI technologies.

AI trainers develop and deliver training programs that help employees integrate AI into their daily work. They ensure that the workforce is equipped to use AI tools effectively and that AI is seamlessly integrated into business processes.

AI customer service specialists manage AI-driven customer support systems, such as chatbots and virtual assistants. They help maintain a seamless customer service experience, blending AI efficiency with the human touch when necessary. Sales representatives use AI tools to assist with customer segmentation, product recommendations, and customer follow-ups. AI enables them to tailor pitches and personalize customer experiences, making interactions more relevant and effective.

If you’re a non-technical professional looking to break into the AGI field, there are several steps you can take:

1. Start small: Begin by learning the basics of AI, machine learning, and AGI. There are many online courses and resources available to help you build foundational knowledge.
2. Leverage existing skills: Identify how your current skills—such as project management, data literacy, or complex problem-solving—can be applied to AI projects. Highlight these transferable skills in your resume and job applications.
3. Skill development: Consider taking courses, earning certifications, or attending workshops in areas like AI ethics, data governance, or UX design. This specialized training can help you align your skills with the needs of AGI projects.
4. Explore interdisciplinary collaboration: Participate in interdisciplinary projects or hackathons, even as a non-coder. This hands-on experience will demonstrate your commitment to learning and contributing to the field.
5. Engage with the community: Join AI-related communities, attend conferences, and participate in forums to connect with industry experts. Networking can provide valuable insights and opportunities to collaborate on AI projects.

The AI revolution is not just for coders. Other professionals have a vital role to play in the advancement and deployment of AGI technologies. Whether you’re in project management, UX design, or another field, your expertise is needed to shape the future of AI. Explore opportunities with Turing and be part of this exciting journey.