AI Literacy: A New Workplace Essential

In a recent interview at Brown University, Uber's CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, raised an important point: many employees at Uber don't know how to use artificial intelligence (AI) effectively. He emphasized the need to shift away from viewing AI as merely a 'tech thing' and instead recognize it as a vital tool that everyone should be able to utilize. With a workforce of 30,000, Khosrowshahi stated that not enough of his employees are harnessing AI constructively, which is a concern for a company that thrives on technology.

Khosrowshahi mentioned that Uber plans to implement training programs to educate its employees on how to use AI, a sentiment he believes should also resonate in educational institutions. "The active use of AI for better outcomes is what companies are after," he noted, suggesting that students should be taught these skills before entering the workforce. This proactive approach could help bridge the gap between education and industry demands.

He also highlighted the rising trend of 'vibe coding'—a term coined by OpenAI cofounder Andrej Karpathy—which refers to using AI to write code. While some industry experts caution against relying too heavily on AI for coding, it’s undeniable that this trend is influencing how companies, especially in Big Tech and venture capital, evaluate software engineering skills.

Khosrowshahi is not alone in his advocacy for integrating AI into the workplace. Other tech leaders, such as Meta's Mark Zuckerberg, have expressed similar views. Zuckerberg has indicated that he anticipates AI to function as a mid-level engineer at his company. This expectation is part of a broader trend where AI is becoming a baseline requirement for employees in various industries.

Additionally, Shopify's CEO, Tobi Lütke, recently shared a memo with his team stating that AI usage is now a fundamental expectation at the company. He mentioned that performance and peer reviews would now include assessments of how effectively employees leverage AI. Teams are even encouraged to justify their need for additional resources by demonstrating their inability to achieve goals without AI assistance.

LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman praised Lütke's approach, urging leaders of all company sizes to incorporate AI into their workflows. This sentiment is echoed by prominent figures in tech, such as Nvidia's Jensen Huang and OpenAI's Sam Altman, who use AI daily in their work.

As Khosrowshahi noted, learning to utilize AI tools for coding will soon be essential at Uber. It’s a reminder that as AI continues to evolve, so too must our understanding and application of it in the workplace. Companies that prioritize AI literacy will likely find themselves better equipped to navigate the future.

Cited: https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-ceo-not-enough-employees-use-ai-khosrowshahi-brown-2025-4