Embracing Artificial Intelligence in the workplace 

The question is on everyone’s lips: Is artificial intelligence going to replace me? Evidence suggests that, with some preparation, embracing artificial intelligence in the workplace could be the answer to a thriving human workforce.

Whether we like it or not, the development of artificial intelligence is gaining traction. It is not going away, nor is it going to go away. On the contrary, AI as we know it is evolving at such a pace that it’s becoming increasingly difficult to keep up with the constantly emerging technologies, discoveries and trends. For many, this is intimidating, which is why many have a hard time embracing artificial intelligence in the workplace.  

I listened to a fascinating podcast interview with American futurist, Amy Webb, on the topic of AI called “The future is the result of decisions we make today”, and she presented an interesting statistic from PWC’s recent global “Sizing the Prize” report, which states that up to 60% of CEOs believe that human headcounts in the workplace will drop significantly in the next year, due to AI.  

In response to this statistic, Ms Webb asks a poignant question: “Is this inevitable? Or is this your ambition?” Is it possible that, as humans are known to do, we are getting carried away by an extremist notion that machines are destined to replace humans at work? We have to evaluate this on two fronts: is this feasible? And, is it wise?  

Artificial Intelligence in Germany Today 

Bringing the discussion a little closer to home, in comparison to America and China, Germany is being left behind when it comes to the development and innovation of artificial intelligence. We can credit this to having significantly smaller budgets, and a greater sense of skepticism and fear about the future of AI in our economy and society. Supporting this, PWC did a separate study called “Künstliche Intelligenz in Unternehmen” (Artificial Intelligence in Companies) that surveyed 500 CEOs in Germany, and 49% of the respondents said that AI is still irrelevant for their organizations.  

Yet, AI has already infiltrated numerous interactions within our world. Think of call centers and chatbots, translation tools, content creation, and even our digital banking and online shopping. The algorithms that determine what you see on your social media feeds are essentially artificial intelligence models that you have trained, through how you choose to browse any given platform.  

Therein lies the crux. Language models need to be trained on the meaning of a word, as well as its context and its many nuances. Even then, it cannot fully understand how emotion might be implied by the word, or how it’s used. Image recognition and generative models have to be taught that humans have five fingers on each hand. As Ms Webb so aptly put it in her interview, “All this AI stuff requires a ton of people. Machines are not training machines. You still need human annotation.”  

Are we ready for an AI transformation? As surprised as I am to say it, I believe we aren’t there yet.  

In the executive search space, there is no replacement for the human art of intuition. We often experience that even a rational type of client chooses an executive candidate based on emotional factors, saying, “The chemistry just felt right.” Although there are tools that claim to analyze CVs and online executive profiles, we’ve seen time and again that AI models are not able to score qualities like ambition, integrity or determination. AI is not able to recognize laziness or a poor attitude.  

As a long-horizon technology, artificial intelligence can most certainly help to automate monotonous and repetitive tasks. But where actual decisions need to be made, a great deal of learning is yet to take place. 

I also don’t believe we’re ready for what the world is calling an “AI revolution”, because before we can implement AI into our workplaces, we need to master robotic process automation (RPA) and digitization to connect and use the data to move forward. How can we effectively implement artificial intelligence strategies in Germany, when outdated systems still rely on an overwhelming amount of human-hands-on officialdom in the German public authority and many companies?  

We still have to master digitization, to start understanding AI’s full potential.  

Tapping into the Potential of Artificial Intelligence 

According to PWC’s global report, Sizing the Prize, global GDP will be up to 14% higher in 2030, thanks to the accelerating development and implementation of AI. This would be a staggering $15.7 trillion higher.  

The report goes on to stipulate that this economic impact will be driven by:  

• Automating business processes (including the use of robots and autonomous vehicles) 
• Augmenting the existing labor force (assisted and augmented intelligence), and 
• Increase consumer demand for personalized and/or AI-enhanced products and services 

How much of this will come at the cost of human displacement? In reality, I believe the answer is “relatively little”. While so many are fearful about the impact that AI-driven downsizing could have on their careers, I believe that it’s possible to pre-empt the coming situation by setting our intention on up-skilling, instead of culling.  

We’ve already established three important concerns about artificial intelligence:  

1. AI needs to be trained, and can only be adequately trained by humans.  

2. Humans possess unique traits that machines are not able to learn, such as tact, instinct, compassion, and intuition-based decision-making.  

3. AI requires more robust RPA and digitisation systems in place in order to reach its full potential as an autonomous system.  

To confidently move into the next era of computing and AI-integrated living, we will need to address the skepticism and fear that keeps so many people ‘on the fence’ about embracing artificial intelligence in the workplace. I believe that CEOs and leaders will greatly benefit from fostering a sense of anticipation for the improvements that AI could bring to their company, and to each individual within the company.  

Think ahead, and plan for the skills of the future 

At Signium Germany, we formed a research task force to assess the available AI tools within the recruitment sector, both to understand the resources available to us and the changing landscape of our industry. I think it will pay off for leaders to stay up-to-date on emerging innovations and identify the skills that their people will need to learn to navigate the coming changes and challenges successfully. Create new pathways for existing employees.  

Acknowledge human value 

This is especially true in Germany, where we have more vacancies than people in many sectors and functions – finding the right talent is tough, so don’t lose it. There is value in retaining human knowledge and inspiring loyalty and a positive company culture from within, amidst change. Offer your people the opportunity to learn and grow into the roles that artificial intelligence is ultimately going to create within your organization.  

Recognize the benefits of AI 

Acknowledging how artificial intelligence can assist people in their roles could help to remove the fear of AI, and nurture an anticipation for more advancements to come. By automating tedious and repetitive work, your people can focus on learning more, achieving greater deliverables and thriving at work and at home.   

Communicate with your people 

Although AI transformation is not necessarily a “crisis”, it’s essential for leaders to communicate calm and encouragement to those who feel as though these changes might usher in more turbulent times. Address concerns openly, answer questions, and allow people the freedom to explore how their future in your organization may look in a few year’s time. 

AI development is a process; we have time on our side. Being an optimistic person by nature, my personal approach is to think positively about the future now and seek out opportunities to adapt to the coming changes, so that we can all enjoy the benefits of embracing artificial intelligence in the workplace.