SIUE Business Insights: Cassandra Collier, PhD

SIUE Business Insights: Cassandra Collier, PhD

SIUE CMIS-Informed Perspective on AI as a Disruption to the Data Analytics Field
This monthly series highlights SIUE School of Business faculty whose research and expertise help organizations, industries and communities better understand today's business challenges.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has begun to expand rapidly and disrupt many industries. The field of data analytics is no exception as employers must predict how AI will change the work of data analysts. Cassandra Collier, PhD, assistant professor of Computer Management and Information Systems at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, brings a CMIS-informed perspective to the use of AI in data analytics through her research on the disruption it has caused to hiring and working in the field.

Collier's article, "How Data Analytics Professionals Can Prepare for AI-Led Disruption," published in MIS Quarterly Executive, explores how AI implementation will change the hiring process and role of the data analyst. The study uses a survey of hiring managers and interviews of data analytics professionals to analyze the shifting employment landscape and the skills data analysts will need to stay competitive.

According to Collier's research, AI is altering the role of data analysts, not eliminating it. The study predicts that routine tasks such as data cleaning, documentation, and basic report and dashboard production will be handled by AI systems. This will free the data analysts to work on higher-value responsibilities, such as more complex data integrations, communication of results to stakeholders, and application of findings to business strategy. Data analysts will also move away from technical production of reports and artifacts and toward communication, auditing AI system outputs and serving as the connector between humans and data.

To stay competitive in the field, data analysts need to strengthen not only their AI collaboration skills and their core technical foundations but also their communication skills and business acumen. The study emphasizes the significance of AI literacy, prompt design and model evaluation skills that facilitate a combined workforce between analysts and AI systems.

For employers and businesses, these findings reinforce the importance of investing in both people and AI. Organizations that utilize AI-powered tools with a human workforce will be in a better position to improve productivity and gain a competitive advantage. The study urges employers to redesign workflows, train employees on utilizing AI and to collaborate with educational institutions to prepare for the future workforce.

Collier stated in an interview, "There is still a high need for human influence in data analytics."

Ultimately, Collier's research suggests that the future of data analytics will not be defined by AI replacing human expertise, but by the two working in tandem. For organizations willing to invest in both technology and talent, this shift represents an opportunity to redefine the profession.

PHOTO: Cassandra Collier, PhD, assistant professor of Computer Management and Information Systems at SIUE

For media inquiries, consulting opportunities or research collaborations related to this work or other areas of business expertise, contact Edmund Hershberger, Associate Dean of the SIUE School of Business, at [email protected]. The School welcomes opportunities to connect faculty expertise with organizations, industry partners and community members seeking research-informed insight into today's business challenges.