Artificial Intelligence in the workplace has influenced every industry and transformed humans-machines designed collaborations. Although there is a fear that robots will replace humans, redesigning work can be broadly beneficial for human-machine integration. As more organizations recognize the capabilities of collaborative intelligence, they’ll realize how humans and AI (artificial Intelligence) actively enhance each other’s complementary strengths. In fact, a recent survey among 1,500 companies has found that the most notable performance improvements happen when humans and machines work together.
Below we’ll discuss the advantages of machine intelligence and how AI is transforming the workplace. Moreover, we’ll explore principles that companies can benefit from by optimizing collaboration between humans and artificial intelligence.
How will AI technologies transform the role of humans in the workplace?
First, companies and employees need to understand that machines are not replacements for humans. Moreover, those who seek to displace humans will shortly experience low productivity gains. So, to design a workplace where collaboration between AI and humans becomes the primary source of productivity, business leaders need to recognize how humans can most effectively enhance machines. Having a clear understanding of how machines can improve what humans do best is also essential to redesign business processes.
In reality, AI will not only expand its range of tasks but improve how they are done at a lower cost than human labor. However, companies should not think of it as a substitute for individuals. This way of thinking will only hinder productivity. Considering AI as an enabler of human-machine collaboration has significant connotations on how organizations adopt AI. The following straightforward mindsets can help business leaders better understand how technologies can transform the current role humans play:
- Start to think of AI as an enabler of value for customer experience and a driver of employee productivity. Its capabilities go far beyond mere cost reduction. Instead, it can make work more meaningful.
- Rather than contemplating automation as a primary focus, first, try to comprehend how these technologies can expand human capabilities.
- When setting a technological prospect for an organization, ensure that designing a system centered on human-machine collaboration becomes a priority.
If we dig deeper into the concept, we realize that AI solutions work based on the data they’ve been taught to recognize. Further training requires not only time, but also human involvement. Additionally, the human mind can function effectively in new and rapidly changing environments. So, both forces need to help each other and adapt to the current needs. In perspective, human-machine collaboration will increase productivity and improve the quality of their assignments.
With machine intelligence taking over repetitive tasks, employees will have time to focus on innovation and interacting with other teams. If appropriately designed, AI will become a driver of productivity and a significant ally for your workforce. Consequently, the latter will be happier at their jobs, thus improving the service quality and customer satisfaction levels. In the end, workers, clients, and companies will benefit from this human-machine collaboration.
Improved decision-making when humans and machines work together
The correlation between human-driven decisions and machine-generated predictions is one of the many benefits of AI in the workplace. In a time when most business leaders try to get ahead of the future of work and reimagine their decisional processes, it becomes obvious that the humans-machines connection will be even more helpful here.
If we analyze human behavior, it’s easy to break down the two main barriers that can hinder these processes:
Physical exhaustion
It’s normal and evident that the human body tends to be tired and distracted after a long working day. The ability to discern, think, and resolve affects decision making. On the contrary, algorithms can make endless decisions or predictions without getting exhausted or distracted, avoiding decision traps.
Emotional bias
Rather than base conclusions on careful assessments, sometimes humans tend to let their emotions, beliefs, or even overconfidence dictate their choices. However, predictive algorithms using past data are more objective when it comes to decision-making.
However, neither one is better than the other, and it wouldn’t be ethical to allow machine intelligence to make hiring or judicial resolutions alone. The relationship between human decisions and machine predictions has become a determinant for leaders and companies to thrive in current volatile environments. Through a combination of data and human-centered design, algorithms can expand an individual’s capabilities and optimize the humans-machines working system.
The need for new roles with AI in the workplace
When implementing the humans-machines partnership, people will need to execute new and different tasks. AT&T, for example, is retraining 100,000 employees for new positions as they embrace collaborative intelligence. At the same time, when redesigning work, it’s necessary to focus on diverse sets of skills rather than around rigid job titles and rearrange the organizational chart. Finally, understanding the valuable capabilities of humans is essential for organizations willing to be proactive in the era of technological progress. Therefore, business leaders seeking to approach the humans-machines design collaboration must embed in the company’s core that AI won’t displace workers but help them achieve their full potential.
The humans-machines joint effort will boost employee satisfaction as they take over new roles and learn to make the most out of machines. Due to the pandemic, most organizations had to reconcile and change, demonstrating that they could make rapid, massive transformations when necessary and invent new methods to live with technology. The COVID-19 crisis will eventually pass, but the course of digital evolution that has been accelerated out of necessity in recent months will likely continue, changing a few business areas yet untouched.
Have you imagined how improved processes can optimize collaborative intelligence in your organization? The future of work depends on leaders ready to make the most of innovative technologies to transform operations, markets, and their workforce. With our experience helping many organizations to evolve, we can answer your questions and help better envision how your company can approach and benefit from collaborative intelligence. So, contact us today and prepare now to thrive in the future.
