The Future of Work: Will AI Replace Humans in the Workplace?

As AI (Artificial Intelligence) perception shifted from a threat to a supportive tool, it has significantly transformed the business world. As a result, AI and digitization have become increasingly indispensable in the workplace and raise the question, “Will AI replace humans in the workplace?”

AI and Its Growing Presence in The Workplace

According to Gartner, the number of companies investing in AI increased by 270% between 2015 and 2019. As a result, the global AI market will be valued at over $136 billion in 2022 and is estimated to grow by 38% in 2023. 

These statistics highlight the significant transformation of the workplace, indicating a stark contrast to how it looked a decade ago. As a result, companies are investing heavily in AI, which has become a critical tool in human functions, making them more efficient and accurate. 

AI technology has transformed the workplace, providing data-backed insights on employee performance and streamlining workflow processes, leading to better and faster decision-making. This often raises the question: will AI replace humans in the future?

AI has revolutionized learning and development programs with personalized content matching and coaching chatbots. It empowers workers to innovate workflow processes and perform better with reliable, up-to-date, error-free data.

The Potential Impact of AI on Employment

The fear and concerns regarding AI and automation are understandable, but history has shown that they are ultimately unwarranted as technological change creates more jobs than it eliminates. 

Furthermore, AI and automation can eliminate tedious tasks and free humans to pursue more satisfying and challenging careers. 

AI also can potentially eliminate disease and world poverty, as it is already driving advances in medicine and healthcare and helping to identify where help is needed most through the AI and Global Development Lab. 

However, skeptics still question this movement due to the limitations of AI and the negative impact it may have on the existing workforce, which gradually becomes redundant. 

The Current State of AI in The Workplace

AI has been extensively implemented across various industries, with some sectors utilizing it more than others. Notably, the following industries have adopted AI to a greater extent:

• Transportation 

AI is used to find shorter transportation routes, minimize waiting time, and keep all available fleet drivers busy. The role of AI in transportation is predicted to grow in the next few years as companies such as Google and Tesla develop self-driving vehicles.

• Healthcare

AI in healthcare introduces automation of repetitive tasks, giving doctors more time to help patients. AI also helps improve the development of new drugs and treatments by analyzing massive amounts of patient data.

• Marketing

AI in marketing tracks consumer habits, makes predictions and improves content creation. AI can track the interests of every individual user and present the correct type of content to increase sales and enhance the overall customer experience.

• Finance 

AI can analyze much more data than humans and make highly accurate predictions. As a result, AI is becoming an efficient financial advisor, as it can help thousands of customers with a one-time payment. 

The capability of AI to swiftly analyze vast volumes of data makes it the most powerful method for investing and trading.

• Entertainment 

AI is used in the entertainment industry to provide personalized suggestions for each individual. Each individual’s preference is tracked and is further utilized by AI to curate similar suggestions. 

Read more: How Important Is Modern Technology in Education Systems?

What Can AI Be Used For?

With the shorter time that AI needs to write codes and perform significant work, the particular innovation reduces the need for managerial talent. However, the requirement for workers that perform groundwork in lower parts of the organization remains integral. 

While AI has many uses, one way to make the change smoother and minimize the negative result of this movement is by restructuring the education system to provide necessary skills to people entering the workforce and also provide means for re-skilling the existing force. 

The education system should not be focused on formal methods of education; instead should train the soft skills of students to be able to adapt to the ever-changing world that requires constant learning and re-skilling. 

This way, the workforce can work alongside AI without worrying about their jobs being at stake. 

Companies looking to explore this possibility and rearrange their workforce should contact InCorp Indonesia (formerly Cekindo) for HR & Recruitment. In addition, InCorp Indonesia (formerly Cekindo) also provides supplementary services with Employment Law Services. 

Will AI Replace Humans in The Workplace?

While AI may replace some jobs, it will also create new ones. Therefore, individuals and organizations need to adapt to the changing nature of work and develop new skills to thrive in the future.

However, the rise in the use of AI does not mean a replacement for humans but rather a tool that can enhance human capabilities and lead to greater productivity and innovation. 
In conclusion, there won’t be a replacement of the workforce but rather a collaboration between the two to increase the productivity of organizations.