Is Artificial Intelligence Powering the Smart in Smart Workforce?
When ZDNet listed the use of VR as one of its top office trends for 2023, it was reflecting the withstanding influence of remote work and the emergence of next generation tech. Combined, they are both driving not just the future of the workforce, but the future of the smart workforce. Let’s face it, though. The real star of that show is AI. So, how is AI shaping that environment?
AI and Remote Work
As workforce expert Gleb Tsipursky, Ph.D., writes, “A.I. is not just a futuristic buzzword–it’s a transformative force that’s reshaping the workplace and redefining the meaning of work itself.” AI has the ability to streamline remote work in several ways. For one, it can pair teammates based on goals and strengths. But the more popular use is to increase efficiency. From taking care of menial tasks to assisting prioritization, AI can free up time and minimize the potential for burnout. Plus, like Tsipursky points out, AI can serve as a tool to boost security by helping to prevent cyberattacks or encrypting data.
AI and the Middle Class Workforce
Of course, though, this all comes with risks. As Tsipursky highlights, there is job displacement concern, issues with clarity around liability, and algorithm bias to name a few. However, there are other benefits beginning to stir attention. One of them being its potential to enhance the middle class workforce. “If we get our act together, the age of Artificial Intelligence could be one in which we rebuild the middle class, says MIT's David Autor, one of the top labor economists in the world,” Greg Rosalsky reports for NPR’s Planet Money.
Autor says that AI’s economic impact could be on the side of “lower-skilled workers,” which is also supported by some studies. According to one, less experienced customer service representatives witnessed increased job performance with the addition of AI when compared to their more experienced counterparts.
AI and the Smart Workforce in Practice
Companies have already started to dip their toes into the AI pool. The New York Times reports that IBM said it would cease hiring for select back-office roles, including in its HR department. But the influence doesn’t end in the corporate world.
Purdue University recently announced that it received a $500,000 grant to participate in the $20 million AI Institute for Climate-Land Interactions, Mitigation, Adaptation, Tradeoffs and Economy (AI-CLIMATE). Purdue explains in a press release that AI-CLIMATE is one of seven institutes funded by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture in an expansive effort to research collaborative AI and how it can be adopted by farmers and industry professionals to integrate more sustainable practices.
VR sets aside, AI is really what’s here to change the game from the home office to the cubicle to the field. Now we just figure out the best path forward.
Sources
“The office of 2023: Top workforce trends that will shape the year ahead” - Jada Jones, ZDNet
https://www.zdnet.com/education/business-management/what-to-expect-in-the-office-next-year-top-work-trends-to-watch-out-for-in-2023/
“How the A.I. revolution is liberating workers from the return to the office” - Gleb Tsipursky, Fortune
https://fortune.com/2023/06/01/ai-revolution-liberating-workers-return-to-office-careers-gleb-tsipursky/
“What if AI could rebuild the middle class?” - Greg Rosalsky, Planet Money/NPR
https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2023/05/09/1174933574/what-if-ai-could-rebuild-the-middle-class
“Bringing A.I. Tools to the Workplace Requires a Delicate Balance” - Kevin J. Delaney, The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/08/business/dealbook/ai-workplace-changes.html
“Purdue receives $500,000 grant as part of new AI Institute focusing on climate-smart agriculture and forestry” - Steve Koppes, Purdue University
https://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/releases/2023/Q2/purdue-receives-500,000-grant-as-part-of-new-ai-institute-focusing-on-climate-smart-agriculture-and-forestry.html