The Essential Skills Actors Bring to the AI-Powered Workplace
Have you ever wondered how AI changes the landscape of the workplace and what skills remain indispensable?
An AI-Fueled Future
As we hurdle into an AI-fueled future*, the landscape of the workplace is evolving rapidly. In this dynamic environment, six core skills have emerged as indispensable. These skills are analytical judgment, flexibility, emotional intelligence, intellectual curiosity, bias detection and handling, and AI delegation (prompts).
Many of these skills are vital skills at the heart of the three-year acting training at the National Institute of Performing Arts (NIDA), and are embodied within individual and customised training with NIDA Corporate Training course material and tutors experiences.
The Impact of Actors
NIDA Corporate Training actors embrace these essential skills and acknowledge the importance and why it is crucial to remain human in a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence. For a small country Australia produces some of the most successful actors in the world. Cate Blanchet, Sarah Snook. Sam Worthington, Yael Stone are only a few NIDA graduates that have taken the world by storm.
Many people believe that actors are around to entertain us, and yes, they absolutely are! However, actors also shine a light on political issues, reflect societal behaviour, both good and bad, and question what it means to be human.
Human beings are complicated, so it stands to reason the act of systematically building a character from scratch requires skill, and that’s what actors train for. Throughout their time at NIDA actors work to hone their analytical judgment, trawling through scripts like detectives. When working on the classics, it’s the actor’s job to research, what can sometimes be disputed facts, around language and behaviours of the time. Decisions need to be made according to the intended audience and setting of the work. Unlike painting, sculpture or poetry, acting requires other people to be involved in the process: other creatives in the team or at the very least, the audience. This level of cooperation is achieved by everyone involved being open and flexible to all ideas.
Embracing Failure and Building Resilience
One of the key takeouts from any drama school training is the concept of ‘failure’ being a positive attribute. A great actor (you can substitute the word actor, with, human if you like) is a brave actor. To be brave you need to understand your fear and be willing to step toward it, knowing that failure is a strong possibility, and often this relates to allowing yourself to embrace strong emotions. This bravery build resilience, and it also connects you with vulnerability which in turn helps refine your emotional intelligence.
The Curiosity of Actors
Actors spend their working lives stepping into she shoes of others, connecting with their pain and joy with intellectual curiosity. They are trained in the art of improvisation, allowing them to stay present and actively listen, to not judge their scene partners and make offers that elevate the work of others. They are, by necessity, eternally curious, the jack of many trades. One day a doctor, the next a police officer or cleaner.
Embracing What Makes Us Human
Life is bound to change for many of us in a world where AI becomes increasingly integrated both personally and professionally. Now more than ever we need to embrace what makes us human, and who better to guide us, than a group that has dedicated themselves to understanding and promoting the human condition. Actors.
NIDA Corporate Training
This is why NIDA Corporate Training courses are run by experienced actors to empower professionals to stand out and lead with empathy and thrive in an AI-powered world, and why we teach the skills of actors within our courses to help you do the same. Helping individuals empower themselves with their own actors toolkit.
*According to Microsoft’s new Work Trend Index report, which surveyed 31,000 people across 31 markets between February and March 2023. https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/09/top-skills-you-will-need-for-an-ai-powered-future-according-to-microsoft-.html