The transformative impact of generative AI on company productivity has become clear over the past 12 months. According to Microsoft’s 2023 Work Trend Index, 70 per cent of people say they would delegate as much work as possible to AI to lessen their workloads. At the same time, however, 49 per cent of people worldwide fear that their jobs will soon be replaced by AI, with this percentage rising to 58 per cent in the APAC region.
The anxiety of job obsolescence remains palpable and ubiquitous, undercutting the excitement around the technology. Rather than view generative AI with fear and apprehension, however, I believe we should approach the issue with a more empowering mindset.
AI will replace tasks, not jobs
The first thing to remember is that a high level of fear-mongering that we will all soon lose our jobs to the AI revolution exists. The recent spree of highly publicised lay-offs in the tech industry has deepened the assumption that people are actively being replaced by their digital counterparts — a sentiment that started once the job market took a hit by COVID-19. In truth, many of these tech firms are attempting to right-size their headcount after over-hiring during the pandemic to meet the spike in digitalisation.
According to the 2023 Work Trend Index, most business leaders are looking to leverage AI to improve employee productivity, not reduce headcount. High on the list of priorities are automating repetitive yet necessary tasks, eliminating low-value activities, and augmenting the capabilities of existing talent to accelerate the pace and quality of their output. It is my firm belief that AI will be used to replace tasks and not jobs.
Upskilling up new generations
A study by Salesforce last year reported that while 65 per cent of generative AI users are Millennials or Gen Z, 68 per cent of non-users are Gen X or Baby Boomers. This reluctance to use AI can be attributed to unfamiliarity, perceived uselessness, and uncertainty about the benefits of its impact.
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However, with many generative AI integrations still requiring human involvement, the professional experience that Gen X and Baby Boomers have would give them an edge over Gen Zs as subject matter experts and enable them to exercise better judgment.
Singapore’s SkillsFuture (SSG) movement, a government initiative aimed at workforce upskilling, recently rolled out its LevelUp programme to encourage workers aged 40 and above to future-proof their careers by acquiring new skills. Upskilling in today’s competitive landscape, especially with the advent of new technologies, is no longer a luxury but an imperative to staying relevant in the workforce.
Orchestrating AI agents in an integrated workplace
Rather than having one job replaced entirely by one stream of AI, a person may have multiple AI agents performing specific tasks in different parts of their workflow. Where 2023 saw the introduction of AI apps to the public, enterprise applications have become a quickly developing area of demand that computing giants such as NVIDIA are keen to get ahead of. With the right training, I believe that workers who can codify their domain knowledge and processes into AI Agents for specific tasks will unlock tremendous productivity gains.
Upholding safety and security in the use of AI
As we integrate AI technology into businesses, there is growing attention to responsible practices and vigilant oversight so that sensitive and proprietary data are not compromised.
While regulators worldwide are drawing up guidelines on AI use, I think organisations should prepare by appointing a qualified Data and AI Governance officer, or team, to rollout AI in the organisation with robust frameworks to maintain staff compliance to evolving guidelines.
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Having an AI Usage Policy is a good starting point for governing how employees may utilise AI within ethical privacy guardrails, especially if general users in the company leverage public tools for specialised queries and document analysis or creation.
Adopt a co-intelligence mindset in using AI
Productivity and governance are two key themes in the era of enterprise generative AI adoption. While there is understandable apprehension surrounding job displacement, the reality remains that AI is more likely to replace tasks rather than entire roles.
Embracing this technology requires a shift in mindset towards continuous upskilling, ensuring that you have the relevant expertise and oversight to be the human-in-the-loop in an AI-enabled workforce.
As Ethan Mollick, Professor at the Wharton School and the author of Co-intelligence expressed, we should perceive AI as co-intelligence. It is my opinion that its benefits will allow workers to tap into heightened levels of productivity. I feel it would be a disservice to oneself to adopt a Luddite stance when the opportunities are here for the taking.
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The article was first published on April 30, 2024
The post AI: Boon or bane? Workers fear job loss despite productivity gains appeared first on e27.