Human versus robot… Worker versus AI… Thanks to the explosion of ChatGPT in November 2022, AI has become one of the most celebrated and debated technological developments, both in and out of the workplace.
In fact, according to data compiled by the UK government, the public is becoming increasingly pessimistic about AI’s impact on society, despite a third of respondents admitting they use chatbots at least once a month in their day-to-day lives.
But are their concerns about AI valid? And will generative AI’s impact on the workplace irrevocably alter our jobs and the need for human skill sets—for better or worse?
We asked a panel of experts to give their verdict.
Jaroslaw Rzepecki, CTO at Monumo
“In general, as with any new technology, it [AI] will have an impact on the workforce. Some roles will be replaced, and new jobs will be created. It is inevitable that with innovation comes a natural evolution in the way that we work and the skills required.
“It is difficult to judge the overall impact, but looking back at previous technological revolutions, they always lead to a shift in jobs, not necessarily to employment reduction. I believe that in the short and medium-term, jobs that either require manual fidelity (since robots are nowhere near as agile as humans yet) or high creativity and contextual thinking will prevail.”
Pavel Shynkarenko, founder and CEO of an HR tech company Solar Staff
“We realise that AI will take jobs away from people; we don’t know which ones and when.
“I believe in a scenario where jobs will be lost to entry and mid-level professionals, including IT, who will not be able to quickly adapt and grow in the profession using AI, because AI is a two-way stick.
“On the one hand, it can write texts, draw logos, and come up with names like humans with little experience. On the other hand, it can help people with little experience ‘jump’ to professionals due to an extensive knowledge base, but only if the person knows how to work with this AI. I recommend considering how AI can help you do more work in the same amount of time.”
Cecily Motley, co-founder of HR AI platform Harriet
“AI won’t take your job, but someone using AI might. AI will transform the way we work for the better. Essentially, it has the power to give every employee a personal assistant by automating time-draining administrative tasks like scheduling meetings and searching for key documents and data.
“Day-to-day responsibilities will change as workers are freed up to focus on higher-value projects which rely on ‘human’ skills like creativity, relationship building, and resilience. This will improve work-life balance. I also strongly believe it has the potential to make people happier at work—no one wants to spend hours and hours doing admin when they could be working on the part of the job they love.”
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Hywel Carver, CEO and co-founder of Skiller Whale
“At least at this stage, AI is very much in the control of humans, and as a result, it’s a tool that should be harnessed to better our creativity, productivity, and development, rather than an outright replacement for our jobs.
“Jobs that are easily automated have a higher potential to be lost, but a synergy between workers and the technology will be essential in using AI as a complement to your work, rather than replacing your work. Leaders who are implementing AI need to be held responsible for matching the pace of innovation with the required needs of an organisation, and creating opportunities for higher-value roles as AI handles tasks that are easily outsourced.
“There are early examples of companies that are conducting layoffs, believing that AI can replace some or all of a workforce. It remains to be seen whether that will prove to be a success, or whether it will spread across an entire industry.”
Khyati Sundaram, CEO of ethical hiring experts, Applied
“AI has a powerful role to play in assisting us in our working lives. In particular, the technology can help automate repetitive tasks and admin; freeing up workers to focus on more meaningful, high-value tasks, and improving our work-life balance.
“But we’re not yet at a place where AI can or should be trusted to make decisions independently. AI models which aren’t trained, monitored and audited carefully by humans risk amplifying historic biases. The technology also lacks soft skills like empathy and leadership, which are crucial to many jobs.”
Adam Liska, co-founder and CEO of Glyphic, a generative AI platform for sales
“The age of artificial intelligence is reshaping the landscape of how we work and interact with technology. AI has already become an integral part of dozens of industries. So, AI will become complementary to existing roles and help augment them rather than taking jobs.
“To stay relevant workers will need to learn to integrate AI into their workflows. This involves understanding how AI technologies can complement and enhance their tasks.
“Interpersonal skills will become more important. While automation takes care of routine tasks, ultimately, it’s the human skills that AI cannot replicate which become paramount.”
Farley Thomas, CEO of Manageable, a coaching platform for managers
“The more AI in the workplace the more prized people skills will be. This would be the area to focus on. Cognitive skills are important but AI will perform many cognitive tasks better and faster. Does anyone actually do maths without a calculator anymore?
“People skills are already in deficit and they will help anyone stand out from the crowd. This means relationship skills, emotional intelligence and coaching skills.”
This article is part of a partnership with Amply. For partnering opportunities, contact [email protected]m or [email protected].
