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Three Steps To Promoting Productivity In The Workplace With AI

Forbes Communications Council
POST WRITTEN BY
James Freeze

Since artificial intelligence (AI) entered popular conversation, the narrative surrounding the technology has been dominated by excitement -- and also apprehension. In the media and around dinner tables, among academics, politicians and everyday workers, people are expressing concerns about how automation will impact the job market. Their question lingers: Will smart machines soon render human labor irrelevant?

The short answer? No. We know the presence of AI will impact the way we live and work (it already has), but the sweeping impact of robots and artificial intelligence fully replacing human workers isn’t the imminent problem public narrative suggests.

According to PwC analysis, a mere 3% of jobs are at potential risk of automation in the near term (by early 2020s), with that number jumping to less than a third (30%) by the mid-2030s. In reality, long before we lose jobs to machines, humans will have to learn how to work productively alongside them.

In fact, speaking at a recent CNBC event on building the workforce of the future, IBM CEO and president Ginni Rometty left attendees with the message that she expects AI to change 100% of jobs in the next 10 years -- and I think she’s spot on.

Let’s not focus on the rate of automation-driven job loss, but instead consider how we should navigate ongoing job change. We should tackle the challenge we’re presented with now, promoting fruitful human-machine collaboration at the office.

new study (download required) looked at how robots and humans work together on a task incentivized by pay. The research found that when a robot’s performance increases, human effort and perceived competence decreases. AI presents great opportunity to expedite administrative tasks and even augment human intelligence, but we must remember that increased productivity in AI-powered workplaces isn’t necessarily a given. The technology should be implemented carefully -- and most importantly, with its human counterparts in mind.

Working for a conversational AI company that provides intelligent virtual assistants, I have seen firsthand that AI has great potential to transform the future of work, but only when done right. Here are three priorities for promoting productivity in workplaces that are powered by both digital and human employees:

Customized Solutions, Carefully Selected

As new, exciting technologies become available, it’s tough not to jump at the opportunity to introduce them to your operations -- and understandably so. Amid steep competition, there’s often pressure to leverage the latest technologies to avoid falling behind and missing out on the potential benefits. That said, it’s important to remember that emerging technologies are not one size fits all. Technology should be carefully evaluated and rolled out with your specific business needs in mind.

To start, commit to flexible and standards-based infrastructure. When choosing technology vendors, avoid solutions that limit the ability to seamlessly integrate with third-party systems. Ensure new solutions provide an open, web services application programming interface (API) framework that facilitates productive systems interactivity. Once the technology is firmly embedded in your organizational processes, nimble, digital-first infrastructure makes it possible to evolve and integrate with new systems as you grow.

Thoughtful Training Programs

With specific technologies selected for integration, thoughtfully consider how the capabilities are onboarded. Just like you would welcome a fresh employee to your organization, with standardized job training and a consistent review process, develop a step-by-step approach for introducing new technology. To start, consider how you will announce the introduction of the technology internally, to existing members of the team, and how you will explain the business rationale for deploying it.

Next, it’s essential that AI is well trained, at launch and over time. Powered by machine learning (ML), AI can identify patterns in information, learn from the data and apply its learnings to new experiences. Especially as AI functions are new, fully capitalize on ML capabilities by establishing a system that keeps humans in the loop to offer continuous feedback. It’s through continuous learning that AI provides the business benefits leaders expect from their investment in the technology.

People-First Culture

Once you’ve successfully integrated AI into your organizational processes, never lose sight of the employees who will work alongside it. In order for AI to be successful, the humans it works with must feel comfortable and confident with the technology. Make sure to get ahead of any potential discomfort when you onboard new staff members. As early as the interview process, ensure new hires understand how they will work in collaboration both with their human colleagues and with smart technology.

When it comes to company culture, remember that, ultimately, your people come first. To make certain that human workers feel valued in their own right, make it clear that, while their day-to-day tasks may change with AI, their individual contributions and perspectives are still appreciated and essential assets.

Especially when introducing new technology, go the extra mile to prove your commitment to your people. Make a point to highlight the individual contributions of employees not just through regular, formal review processes, but also day to day. Make employee appreciation and acknowledgment a key tenant of your culture by creating forums where colleagues can offer each other positive feedback in an internal communication platform like Slack or in person at casual lunches and employee events.

Through thoughtful integration and careful internal communications, while keeping your people top of mind, the introduction of artificial intelligence to your operations can drive productive human-machine collaboration and, ultimately, a more efficient business. Job changes and adaptation to new inventions have been the history of tech advancement for centuries, long before brick-and-mortar businesses faced e-commerce, or horse-and-buggy carriages met the Model T.

Despite today’s dramatic headlines, widespread, AI-driven job displacement isn’t on the horizon. Instead, we must focus on the reality of job change with artificial intelligence, developing new strategies and operations for the benefit of our technology and, most importantly, our people.

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