AI has gone from being hype to becoming an everyday skill. Whether you work in design, marketing, data, customer service or HR, it is now expected that you understand how to use artificial intelligence in practice.
It is no longer about impressing with technological curiosity. It is about productivity, competitiveness, and new job opportunities. In a new report from the analytics firm Lightcast, it is shown that candidates with AI competence earn on average 28 percent more than others in the same role. And this does not only apply to developers, but also to roles in content production, project management and customer experience.
– You don’t need to be a programmer to master AI, says Anita Karlsen, Director at Noroff University College.
– But you do need to know how to use the tools, how to integrate them into your workflow, and how to assess the results with professional judgment.
Here are five tools everyone should know and use in 2025.
1. ChatGPT (OpenAI)
This is still one of the most widely used AI tools globally. Not only for writing text, but for creating strategies, drafting emails, processing data, and building applications. What really makes the tool valuable is its ability to combine language, logic and data flow in one and the same interface.
ChatGPT is continuously being developed, and the latest models make it possible to interact across text, speech, images and code in the same conversation. This makes the tool a universal work assistant now used in everything from education to IT operations and content production.
2. Midjourney and DALL·E
In visual production, these two tools have made it possible for non-designers to create professional images, illustrations and concepts, with simple text prompts. Used correctly, they can save time and money, but also strengthen the creative process.
In creative industries, these tools are now used for everything from mood boards and storyboards to finished campaign materials and visual styles.
– In Noroff’s creative programs, students learn to use AI tools as part of the creative process, not as a replacement for it, points out Aage Alexander Foss, Principal at Noroff Vocational School.
3. Fathom
Many employees spend most of their time in meetings. Fathom is an AI-powered tool that records, transcribes conversations and provides you with automatic notes, summaries and follow-ups. Integrated directly into Zoom and Teams.
This provides a major productivity boost, especially for project managers, customer service teams, and cross-disciplinary leaders.
4. Synthesia
This tool lets you create professional video presentations without a camera or editing equipment. You write a script, choose a digital avatar, and get a finished video in multiple languages, with customized backgrounds and subtitles.
Synthesia is already used by companies such as Google, Accenture and Reuters for training, onboarding and internal communication. And the technology has also begun to find its way into education.
– We see enormous potential in AI-driven video content, both as a supplement to teaching and in student communication, says Karlsen.
– It’s not just about efficiency, but also about accessibility and personalization.
5. n8n (or Zapier AI)
Automation is perhaps the most underestimated AI trend. Tools such as n8n or Zapier let you build your own workflows that combine different systems and tools, often with AI functions built in.
For example, you can set up an automated flow where a customer request is analyzed with AI, routed to the right department, and generates a follow-up with personalized content. All without writing code.
For many organizations this means less manual work, better customer service and lower costs.
What does this mean for you as a student or career changer?
AI is no longer a niche skill. It is a basic skill on par with using Excel or writing an email. The difference is that those who master AI are ahead.
– You don’t need to learn all the tools, but you must know how to learn new tools quickly, says Foss.
– And you must understand how the technology affects your field, whether you are a designer, IT student or marketer.
Noroff’s approach is practical AI competence, integrated into education.
At Noroff, AI is not an isolated topic, but part of the entire educational journey. You not only learn which tools exist, but how they are used in reality, with real cases, cross-disciplinary work and industry relevance. The programs are offered both on campus and, in most cases, as flexible online studies, and you get access to tools, teachers and professional environments at the forefront.
AI is a tool, not a replacement
Even though AI opens enormous opportunities, it is still fundamental subject knowledge that makes the technology valuable. Educated people will not be replaced by AI – but those who combine solid competence with the ability to use AI smartly will stand strongest in the labor market.
