From its humble beginnings to become the cornerstone of modern workplace, artificial intelligence has come a long way. Leading companies like Microsoft, Google, and Facebook (Meta) are already using AI in the workplace to drive operational efficiency and deliver outstanding customer experience. So, if you are also considering integrating AI into your business, here are some important points you to keep in mind.
What is artificial intelligence in the workplace?
Artificial intelligence in the workplace involves the use of intelligent machines to automate complex and mundane task that require human intelligence. Since these machines are trained using data and have the ability to identify hidden patterns, they are also useful in forecasting, making data-driven decisions, enhancing overall work efficiency and productivity.
Examples of AI in the workplace
The potential of AI in the workplace is everywhere, in every industry – from healthcare to manufacturing to retail. When it comes to different departments in an organisation its presence is ubiquitous. However, the application of it is hit-and-miss.
For example, companies implement AI-powered chatbots in their customer support department to calculate, understand, and respond to customer queries swiftly and effectively. This reduces the requirement for human involvement and enhance customer experiences.
In the realm of human resource department, AI-powered tools are applicable to automate and streamline complex processes and save HR professionals time and efforts. Additionally, 79 percent of HR organisations are using AI and automation to perform activities including job postings, applicant’s screening, onboarding, and offboarding, according to SHRM study.
Marketers use AI software to target specific customers with customised content based on their purchasing behaviour, preferences, and browsing history. They also use AI to run target ads on the right channels, at the right time to enhance customer engagement.
Data analysts use AI tools to analyse vast amount of data, extract valuable insights, and make data-driven business decisions. Furthermore, by uncovering hidden patterns in data, AI tools help them in forecasting and managing risks.
How is AI transforming the workplace?
Prior to AI era, companies used to rely on manual process to perform tasks like data entry, data analysis, decision making, and customer interactions. These tasks were not only time-consuming, but also labour-extensive and prone to human-errors.
Today’s world is a world of artificial intelligence. AI is transforming the world of work by automating mundane tasks, enabling accurate data analysis, delivering quicker outcomes, and creating seamless collaboration across teams and departments.
In case of employee engagement and driving productivity, artificial intelligence plays a dramatic role by helping employees with better connectivity and collaboration opportunities. A recent study revealed that 2/3rd of the business leaders found that AI powered tools are helpful in significantly improving employee productivity. In fact, the same study confirmed that half of those surveyed can see drastic gains in employee engagement.
What are the key benefits of using AI in the workplace?
From simplifying complex tasks to bettering decision-making process, AI offers multiple benefits that transform the way we work and conduct business. The top five benefits of using artificial intelligence in the workplace are:
Increased employee productivity
According to Deloitte’s 2023 Global Human Capital Trends Report, artificial intelligence and machine learning will boost workforce productivity by 37 percent by 2025. AI tools possess the power to automate recurring activities including summarising documents, data entry, email writing, and catching up on emails. It frees up employee’s time, allowing them to concentrate on other creative and strategic works that more productive in nature.
Download the eBook ‘Power Your Productivity’ to learn more about how AI and other digital tools can help you increase business productivity.
Informed decision making
Companies produce vast amounts of data but too often it’s siloed or not organised correctly. Using artificial intelligence, companies can analyse those heaps of data, extract meaningful insights, and make data-driven decisions required in areas including marketing, operations, HR, inventory, and supply chain. In case of marketing, for instance, data-driven decisions can help marketers to run targeted ads on the right channels at the right time. This enables them to boost customer engagement and increase conversion rates.
Cost savings
In its 2023 The Augmented Workforce Report, Bain & Company highlighted that intelligent automation could result into higher-value work, such as creativity, problem-solving, interpersonal communication, and ultimately, cost-saving by 21-30 percent. Furthermore, by automating tasks done by humans, increasing work efficiency, minimising waste, and streamlining production processes, it enables companies to save money on resources and increase profits.
Inclusive and diverse workplace
One of the compelling benefits of AI in the workplace is its potential to develop an inclusive and diverse workplace. By enabling data-driven skill assessments and blind recruitment, AI can foster diversity and inclusivity in the workplace. For example, HR department can employ AI-powered talent intelligence platforms to rank candidate focus on their skills and qualifications rather than screening their identifiable attributes and traits like age, gender, race, and ethnicity. This not only helps companies to encourage diversity but also allows them to tap into a wider pool of talent, resulting in better outcomes.
Satisfied employees
In 2022 State of AI in the Enterprise report by Deloitte, 82 percent of respondent claimed AI to enhance job satisfaction. This is possible if employees are not surrounded with outdated technologies and systems. AI plays a crucial role in this case. AI-driven software helps employees with game-changing capabilities to eliminate the burden of doing manual and complex tasks, enhance their work efficiency, and deliver projects faster without human-errors. This makes them happy and satisfied.
What are the key challenges of using AI in the workplace?
AI offers countless benefits to transform the world of work. But embracing and scaling this technology across businesses is not an easy job. Here are two major roadblocks in the path of AI implementation:
Risk of job displacement
With in-depth discussions around the benefits of using AI in the workplace and transforming it, one question that is concerning every individual is: Will AI replace humans?
Let’s look at the AI-related statistics for the answer!
- 57 percent of executives would invest in AI and automation in the event of an economic downturn according to Mercer’s Global Talent Trends Study, 2023
- 77 percent of workers believe their organisations will provide training on AI-driven job changes by Mercer’s Global Talent Trends Study, 2023
- 76 percent of respondents plan to increase their investments in AI to gain more benefits, Deloitte’s State of AI in the Enterprise Report, 2022
- 50 percent of employees will need reskilling initiatives by 2025 to embrace AI-enabled work trends, WEF’s Future of Jobs Report, 2020
- Furthermore, the World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report 2023 says that AI can create more than 2.7 million jobs by 2027 under the role of AI and machine learning specialists, data analysts, big data specialists, and information security analysts.
These findings shows that although organisations are focusing on investing in AI and related technologies for workplace transformation, they are not poised to replace their workforce with AI and automation. Instead, they are prioritising AI upskilling and reskilling initiatives to equip
Ethical implications around AI
As AI becomes increasingly pervasive in all aspects of business, ethical implications have moved to the forefront of the conversation. So, what are those ethical implications around using artificial intelligence in the workplace.
- Biasness in AI: AI systems are only as good as the data they are trained on. If the training data includes inherent biases, the AI algorithms will inadvertently perpetuate these biases, leading to unfair outcomes. For example, an AI system used in recruiting could favour certain demographics over others if it was trained on a biased dataset. To combat this, businesses must ensure diversity and fairness in their data collection and training processes.
- Privacy Concerns: AI systems, particularly those used in data analysis and customer profiling, often handle sensitive information. Companies must ensure that their AI practices align with GDPR regulations and respect the privacy rights of individuals. This includes obtaining explicit consent for data collection and use, implementing rigorous data security measures, and promptly addressing any data breaches.
- Transparency: The decision-making process of AI systems can sometimes be a 'black box', creating issues of accountability and trust. Organisations should strive for transparency in their AI systems, making it clear how and why decisions are made. Techniques such as explainable AI (XAI) can help make AI decision-making processes more understandable and traceable.
How to implement AI tools in the workplace?
Though artificial intelligence isn’t straightforward, the perks it brings are hard to overlook. That’s why we have compiled three simple steps to help you implement AI in the workplace.
Step 1: Identify the need for AI in the workplace
When it comes to integrating AI solution in the workplace, organisations often focus on streamlining their internal processes. And that’s where they go wrong. Instead, of adopting business-centric approach and asking how artificial intelligence can benefit the organisation, you should think what problems artificial intelligence can solve for their customers. This helps you to understand the opportunities for AI implementation, where it’s automating routine tasks, enhancing decision-making process, or creating personalised experiences. You need to evaluate in which area AI could bring most value to create unparalleled customer experiences.
Step 2: Educate and train your workforce
Providing your workforce with the right training, education, and mentorship is crucial in effectively implementing AI solutions. It builds a solid culture around the AI technology and enables your employees to understand the benefits, implications, and risks AI brings with it. To initiate this process, you can show real-world examples on how AI and automation can help individuals, teams, and organisations to grow and become successful. Furthermore, by encouraging ‘growth mindset’ prepare your employees for AI upskilling and re-skilling to ensure they can work on AI tools and tackle if any challenges come on the way.
Step 3: Deploy AI ethically and responsibly
After you understand the basics including benefits and risks involved in using AI in the workplace, the next step is to ensure the safe and secure deployment of AI tools. What does that mean? You need to accept the regulatory framework (such as EU AI Act) established by the Government and create responsible AI governance aligned with your values and business objectives. Additionally, you need to acknowledge the fact that AI is a copilot solution that is here to augment human abilities and support them to make their work faster and more efficient.
AI: Reshaping the future of work
At OneAdvanced, we are at the early stages of our journey in embracing AI technology. Our approach is informed by best practices in ethics, transparency, and accountability and inspired by our customers and the value it can add for them. We prioritise not only the innovation, AI can bring, but also the trust and confidence our customers place in us to deploy AI responsibly.
Our goal is to construct AI solutions that transform the world of work for our customers, their employees, and community and cultivate organisations that make positive impact on the society and the world.
Want to discover how? Download eBook ‘Power Your Productivity’ and learn how OneAdvanced is helping customers to transform their work and enhance productivity through digital solutions.