Artificial Intelligence (AI) is here, and it’s everywhere, according to the latest research. With new and emerging platforms such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini, AI is turning a cornerstone. The 2020s are promising a revolution in the workplace, powered by AI.
What does that mean for workers, though? Once software users, will people become carriers of code, rather than creators of it? Or are we looking at a systemic change – much like how qualifications such as an online MBA in Australia have changed over time, will AI change the very nature of how we work?
Let’s explore the possibilities of AI – how it’s challenging the norms at many businesses around Australia, inspiring change, and helping to transform the way we work, for the better.
AI: A New Industrial Revolution
Much can be said of the impact of the Industrial Revolution on the workforce, particularly how it spearheaded massive efficiencies and the propagation of mass production. While the First Industrial Revolution spearheaded the implementation of factory work, the Second Industrial Revolution created opportunities for automation and mechanisation, such as the implementation of machinery that increased productivity and efficiency, like the conveyor belt.
The promise of AI is immense. In an era where data is being generated rapidly, with skills shortages in the careers required to manage said data, having the ability to summarise, digest, and produce actionable information is immense. AI also has the immense capacity to augment workflows – with software engineers finding particular benefit in the AI abilities of platforms such as Github Copilot and Tabnine.
Is it possible that we’re entering a new Industrial Revolution – a third age, where the worker becomes supported by a level of digital assistance considered unfathomable even ten or twenty years ago? For those who are experiencing AI disruption firsthand, it may certainly feel like a revolution is at the door.
Old Tasks, New Automation
Let’s not forget about automation. The Second Industrial Revolution introduced a level of automation through the development of the factory floor – where machines were used to replace the role of physical human interaction. As time progresses, automation has become more and more sophisticated, and advancements in computing and other technologies have allowed for more advanced forms of automation.
Consider the investments that major retailers such as Amazon are making into robotic warehouses – spending billions of dollars on the development of warehouses that will largely run on advanced software and robotics, rather than human operators. As we enter a new Industrial Revolution, improvements promise us a vast range of innovation, possible with only a few small clicks of a mouse.
Your Job Will Change, But That’s OK
AI poses an immense opportunity for workplaces both large and small. Reducing the number of repetitive, mundane tasks in a job will allow employees to focus on more complex and challenging problems – it may even help address simple customer queries in a timely fashion.
It’s important to recognise that jobs, naturally, change over time – and that’s OK. Perhaps it’s time to let go of the regular every day, to embrace and try something new. Greater efficiencies at work, for example, may open opportunities to embrace a four-day working week – allowing for a greater balance between work and home.
There will undoubtedly be opportunities to reskill along the way, as well. Data entry specialists may upskill to become analysts, analysts may work towards improving their automation acumen – the list goes on.
There is, without a doubt, considerable distress around job security at present, especially as unemployment sits at record lows. Iterative development in artificial intelligence looks set to open floodgates for analysts and engineers – providing new opportunities and methods to dive into data and drive outcomes.
What Does The Future Hold?
It seems inconceivable to contemplate the future of technology. We may try to guess the future, but ultimately, even the most advanced models can be wrong.
Consider, after all, the notion that AI models would not challenge creative roles – generative AI has proven that no job is truly safe from advancements in artificial intelligence. If anything, it’s shown us that early assumptions that predicted that these advanced platforms would be limited inadvertently missed a series of challenges that appear when working with these technologies.
Platforms such as ChatGPT have shown that they are vulnerable to the occasional bout of rubbish chat – and as AI models continue to generate increasing volumes of data on the Internet, questions will be raised about their ability to present truly reliable results.
For human workers, it’s clear that AI simply isn’t advanced enough to eliminate entire roles – rather, augment them as replaceable human tasks get supplanted with more complex problems that require human thinking to solve them.
The future looks set to be an exciting time for AI – and there’s one thing that bears true across all industries – now is the time for AI to shine – but it’ll need a lot of help from people along the way.
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