AI for the Workplace in 2020 and Beyond

Over the past decade, digital technologies have significantly transformed human lives in every possible way. Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered by data and analytics has taken the business world by storm. AI enables computers and smart devices to perform human-like tasks efficiently by processing large amounts of data and recognizing behavioral patterns. AI is making inroads into every corner of our day-to-day lives, right from giving us suggestions while navigating on Google Maps, searching the music we love to listen or the videos we like to watch – all interpreting our behavior online. From Alexa to Siri to Cortana, we’re becoming comfortable with using chatbots, supported by machine learning, directing us through daily tasks.

It’s no wonder to see AI edging its way into the workplace as well, disrupting the work style and transforming how organizations operate. AI can carry out routine and repetitive tasks, which take significant time and human effort, across the organization. AI empowers teams like HR, IT, marketing, and L&D with some time to bring out their creativity, solve complex problems, and then involve in most engaging, high-impact work enabling them to be more effective and productive.

According to Gartner’s Hype Cycle 2019, “over the next decade, data analytics and AI will augment workers’ efficiency, as companies rely on leading tech to beat out competitors.” It also states, “By 2029, industries will see leading companies leverage advanced analytics and supercharge their workforce with automation.”

Let’s have a sneak-peek into how AI is redefining the workplace and empowering different teams of an organization:

Human Resources teams leverage AI in hiring and employee communications. HR teams are beginning to use AI to recruit, screen and interview candidates. Recruiters and hiring managers are employing different types of AI-powered tools to enhance the hiring process. Automated hiring, data-driven hiring, social media hiring, hiring analytics are some of the AI-driven trends in the hiring landscape.

AI is transforming workplace communications by facilitating employees who speak different languages with translation in near-real-time conversations. E.g. Skype Translator’s AI automatically translates what each other speaks in a conference call. Likewise, Chatbots fueled by AI help HR and Finance teams in answering routine questions by employees and save significant time and effort.

AI revolutionizes the learning & development of the workforce. AI coaching tools initially learn by monitoring and assessing how different employees execute specific tasks. Subsequently, these tools can guide new employees on how to accomplish those tasks, also reskill existing employees to better perform. On the other hand, Organizations are leaning towards laying off/upskill employees with obsolete skills and then hire for new skills to take the business forward. AI, data & analytics, and machine learning are the hot skills and are going mainstream in 2020.

Udemy’s 2020 Workplace Learning Trends Report says that in their survey of 200 L&D leaders, 39% of L&D leaders said current jobs are either being altered or replaced by new technologies like AI and automation. 59% of L&D leaders reskilled 10–20% of their workforce in the last year.

Sales, Marketing and Support teams can take advantage of AI in offering superior customer experience. AI-powered chatbots learn from sales, marketing, and customer service teams and provide external support by answering customers’ questions as accurately as a superstar marketer/support engineer. Marketing is applying data-driven strategies to create personalized customer experiences and boost sales. E.g. apps like Dineout, Uber, Ola, Swiggy, Zomato are using chatbots to offer customer support. Lately, bots are more fueled by conversational AI for customer engagement.

Is AI a boon or bane?

While there are apprehensions around AI replacing existing workers, research studies by Gartner, World Economic Forum and Deloitte suggest looking AI as an enhancement rather than a replacement. AI is setting the stage for new types of jobs and organizations must make sure employees learn the relevant skills required to deliver advanced tasks efficiently. Human creativity and abstract thinking would remain as major components of new types of work that will emerge as a result of closer human-machine collaboration.

The Future of Jobs 2018 – a report by the World Economic Forum last year indicated that 133 million new jobs will be created in place of 75 million that will be displaced from now till 2022. It states, “A.I. and robotics will create almost 60 million more jobs than they destroy by 2022.” In a study conducted by Salesforce, 73% of hiring managers said creative thinking skills will be more important in an AI-driven workplace.

All in all, AI is becoming the cornerstone of new ways of working. AI is proving to be augmented intelligence, rather than artificial intelligence, enhancing the overall productivity of the organization while facilitating improved customer experience, workplace culture, and employee engagement.

Note: This article was written as part of an on-boarding assignment to showcase my abilities in building a story, researching, and writing. It is a moderately researched article, drafted in a short time. Publishing here as my sample work.

A good experience

 

Yesterday – 23-01-08

AAAAH…, At last, I am here…..! Finally, I could take out sometime….at 11:50 pm…I chose the book, “The Reluctant Fundamentalist” to the blog in the last few days. It reached into the hands of its owner, Akhil, who might be enjoying reading it. I finished reading it a week back… somehow, couldn’t blog since then… ! After a hectic day, I am trying my day to not to end… with sleepy eyes..!

Liked the narration of Moshin Hamid, the author of the book… the story is not so exciting… but, the way his narration goes on, the language, which is mostly in the first person (using You & I) leaves a personal touch. But, the style that he adopts in the introduction and conclusion parts of each chapter, where he converses with an American stranger, I found it a little disturbing.

I just try to brief the story..!

Changez, a Pakistani young man of eighteen years goes to USA for his higher studies in the prestigious Princeton College, and subsequently gets into one of the famous consulting companies, the Underwood Samson in USA (which has “focus on fundamentals” as its objective). He falls in love with Erica, who could never come out of a realm of memories of her child-hood friend, and lover, Chris, who dies at a young age suffering from cancer. Changez tries and finally fails to pacify her melancholy, and, one day she vanishes. On the other side, an emotional commotion stifles him, related to America’s dominance, its role, and the strategy it adopts during the battle between India and Pakistan. The Protagonist, who once was very good at pursuing fundamentals of his job, turns into reluctant fundamentalist and leaves his job and the country, which gave him unforgettable experiences of life, unable to cope up with his emotional turmoil. He returns to his homeland and becomes a fundamentalist who instigates many young men to protest against American stratagem, which are largely intended to reinforce its supremacy.

Hmmmnn… I tried my level best to exercise my memory!

I adore many expressions used in the book! He expresses many emotions and feelings quite simply, subtly, which most of us would have left unsaid in our lives. I am sure some of these expressions would stir up those buried feelings with in for lot of us, those who would read this book.

Here I go…quoting a few!

Today – 24-01-08

I wanted to post this yesterday on the blog, but as it was getting late, I couldn’t finish it. BTW, Akhil finished reading the book and also blogged about it. Hhmnn.. Better late than never!

Consider these statements:

“It hurts when you care about someone and they go away.”

“These unworthy sentiments helped me to keep my distance.”

“Things might have worked out rather differently if I had turned around.”

“I resolved to write this to her in an email, as a sort of apology, perhaps, and as an invitation to resume the contact between us.”

“I brought something of her with me here-or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that I lost something of myself to her that I was unable to relocate in the city of my birth”

“What is natural in one place can seem unnatural in another; and some concepts travel rather poorly.”

“Time only moves in one direction. Remember that things always change.”

“Certainly I wanted to believe, at least I wanted not to disbelieve.”

“I felt as though a world has ended.”

Good expressions! Aren’t they?

All in all, a good experience indeed, reading it!