Back in the mid – late 90s, people thought they could sit out the computer “craze”. “I’ll just get by without it,” they said. That worked… until it didn’t. Within a few short years, the question at a job interview wasn’t if you could use a computer, it was how well. By 2001, more than half of U.S. workers were already using one every day.
And here we are again. Only this time, it’s not PCs. It’s AI.
Early Adopter Advantage
Every revolution pays its early adopters. In the 90s, the ones who figured out Word and Excel before everyone else were the ones who got promoted, paid more, or picked first for the better jobs.
AI is already paying the same kind of dividend. Right now, jobs asking for AI skills are offering nearly 30% higher salaries than the ones that don’t. Keep in mind, that premium won’t last. Once AI skills become baseline, and they will, employers won’t pay you extra for them. They’ll just expect you to have them.
So the advantage is right now, not someday.
Beyond Dabbling: The Real Speed to Value
Here’s where people get it wrong. They think a few hours on ChatGPT makes them “AI skilled.” It doesn’t. That’s the same as saying you were computer-literate in the 90s because you knew how to turn the machine on.
Sure, you can get some quick wins. But everyone can. It’s not a career edge.
The real value kicks in when you go further:
- Learning applied prompting and workflow that actually saves hours.
- Training AI to work like you do, not like a generic template.
- Building frameworks and projects you can show, proof that you’re not just playing, you’re producing.
That’s the difference between a gimmick and a skill.
The Credibility Factor
Everyone eventually added “computer skills” to their résumé in the 90s. But the ones who could prove it with real examples were the ones who got ahead.
It’s the same with AI. Writing “ChatGPT” under skills doesn’t mean much, employers know everyone’s tried it. What matters is showing how you’ve used AI to deliver something real: automate a report, streamline customer service, or build a tool your team now relies on.
That’s credibility. That’s value.
Don’t Repeat the Mistake
The PC revolution caught a lot of people flat-footed. They thought waiting was safer. They thought “getting by” without real skills was enough. It wasn’t.
This time around, you don’t have to learn the hard way. The warning signs are flashing bright. Dabbling isn’t a strategy. Prompt hacks aren’t a skill.
If you want to stay employable, stay credible, and stay valuable, you’ve got one option: move beyond playing with AI and start building capability you can prove.
Cheers,
Adam Walsh
Founder – Bizualize