Modern technology is advancing at a rapid speed and leaving its impact on the way businesses operate, hire, and sell. Two things that are disrupting the workforce and company culture are Automation and AI. Mundane and recurring tasks are almost automated in every industry to save time and money. 

Many businesses are considering leveraging this technology as the AI/Automation revolution rapidly increases.

However, AI is often confused with Automation, and most people use the terms interchangeably. But, there are differences between both technologies. 

What is Automation?

Automation is a machine doing repetitive tasks by following individual instructions or workflows. These tasks are predictable, simple, and highly redundant. 

For example, a machine in a factory manufactures the same part in the same way repeatedly. Although, automation requires human supervision and manual configuration to execute the tasks effectively. 

In the process, humans must anticipate every possible action to program the machine correctly. Also, machines that work on automation require constant vigilance because if the environment changes, a human has to step in to make the necessary adjustments. 

What is Artificial Intelligence?

Well, AI does not mean automation. AI technology understands broader rules outlined by humans and determines its results. It can also learn independently and realize what works and doesn’t, improving its performance with time. 

In simpler terms, AI refers to how computer systems use vast amounts of data to act like human intelligence and reason by allowing the system to predict, recommend and learn. 

What is AI Automation?

Automation can be used in collaboration with AI, like machine learning and deep learning to produce even better results. 

AI Automation is a powerful combination because it helps companies with the benefits of automation, like increased speed, time savings, efficiency, and ability to scale with AI’s flexibility, insights, and processing power. 

What to Expect Out of the AI Automation Revolution?

• Opportunities for Business

AI and Automation are not new, but recent technological progress is changing the capabilities of machines and making them more powerful. These improvements are helping businesses to provide value and contribute to economic growth.

• Potential to Transform Businesses

These technologies are already adding value for businesses as companies use them to find anomalies in production, personalize product recommendations, and identify fraudulent transactions. 

The latest advancements in AI will address classification, estimation, and clustering problems in depth. A study suggests that advanced deep learning techniques deploying artificial neural networks could account for between $3.5 trillion to $5.8 trillion in annual value. 

• Increased Productivity

Labor productivity growth, the key driver of economic growth, has slowed down in many economies to an average of 0.5% compared to the 2.5% in the United States and Europe.

However, studies suggest that AI and Automation have the potential to combat this decline and take the productivity rate back to 2% in the coming decade. 

How will AI and Automation Affect Work?

These two technologies are bringing many benefits to businesses and society in general. But, there will also be significant disruptions in how people operate at work, and one must be prepared for it.

• Half of the Tasks will be Automated

There are specific categories and activities that are easily automatable compared to others. These include physical activities in highly structured and predictable environments and data collection and processing. 

It will include roughly half the activities people do across all the sectors. Some of the activities that AI Automation will not be able to do include managing others, providing expertise, and interacting with stakeholders. 

It is essential to note that almost all industries will be affected by AI and Automation, but only 5% of occupations will be fully automated based on the current technological capabilities.

• Certain Occupations will See a Decline

Studies show that automation will displace certain occupations, constituting around 15% of the global workforce.  

Although, the decline will significantly depend on the pace of adoption of these technologies. A lot of factors will influence these decisions. Some of them are technical feasibility, labor-market dynamics, cost of deployment, labor-supply quantity, benefits beyond labor substitution, social norms, and acceptance. 

Also, the pace of adoption of these technologies will significantly vary across countries and sectors because of the differences in the above factors. 

• Jobs will be Created

Certain occupations might decline, but these technologies will also create jobs. New occupations that cannot be imagined currently will also emerge. Also, if you check history, technology has always created more jobs.

For example, the invention of the personal computer in the 70s and 80s created millions of jobs for semiconductor makers, software developers, and app developers. 

• Jobs will be Changed

Many job roles will be changed as opposed to lost or gained. Partial automation will be a part of almost all industries and sectors as machines will complement human labor. 

For instance, job roles with repetitive tasks will shift towards a model of managing or troubleshooting automated systems. For example, employees lifting and stacking objects in a retail warehouse might become robot operators who monitor the robotic arms and resolve issues like interrupting the flow of things. 

• Important Workforce Transitions and Challenges

While there will be enough work to ensure full employment in the coming future, the transitions that the adoption of AI and Automation will bring will be significant. The mix of job roles, skill sets, and education requirements will change. 

Most businesses must redesign workflows and job titles to ensure that humans work alongside machines efficiently. 

• Employees will Need Special Skill Sets

Automation will require a shift in workforce skills. There will be an accelerated demand for technological skills like programming, coding, and software development. Also, social, emotional, and higher cognitive skills will experience a growing market. 

The demand for basic digital skills will also continue to accelerate. At the same time, the need for physical and manual skills will decline. Hence, many workers must pivot or learn new skills compatible with the growing technological market. 

How to Prepare Your Business and Workforce to Adopt AI and Automation?

Adopting a hybrid AI Automation-Human workforce will help businesses to be more agile and respond to disruptions efficiently. It will further allow them to pursue new opportunities that will be impossible to achieve with the traditional approach to resourcing. 

It is essential to remember that introducing AI Automation is not only about processes and technology. There is a significant “people” element to it for the staff who see parts of their jobs being automated and for the rest of the workforce regarding mindset, skills, and cultural behaviors.

So, let’s check how companies can prepare their workforce for the introduction and smooth transition of Artificial Intelligence and Automation.

• Evaluate Your Business Processes

Check your current business process to evaluate the parts that technology can improve. You can even talk to your staff and managers to check where they see your company in the automation revolution. 

Ask them to thoroughly research the competitors who are already using AI and then come back to you with a plan by taking it up a notch. 

• Remove the Fear of Your Staff

The narrative around AI and Automation is highly dynamic, as the media suggests that machines will replace most jobs. The biggest challenge for most companies will be convincing the skeptical staff to see the benefits of these technologies. 

Specific jobs will be displaced in the future, but many jobs will also be created. So, as a company, you must convince your employees that deploying technology will not disrupt their job completely. 

Businesses might face internal resistance to AI Automation, and they will have to tackle it head-on by highlighting the benefits the technology will bring to the employees as well as the business. 

You can demonstrate how AI Automation can remove the burden of repetitive and mundane tasks and free up employees to focus on more creative and fulfilling jobs. 

• Educate Your Team on AI Automation

If your business operates in a mundane and highly predictable environment, you already know that deploying AI Automation will be your next move. So, you must inform your team about this and educate them on leveraging the technology to enhance their performance. 

Conduct training workshops to show your employees how to use AI and Automation in their day-to-day activities to get better results.

• Have Automation Champions

If you have already deployed AI Automation in your processes, you must have a technology head for each department. These technology heads or automation champions can help their colleagues to get a grip on the technology and work effectively with machine employees. 

You can even ask these individuals to identify a pipeline of processes where it is possible to incorporate automation. People working on the frontline in each department are best placed to identify high-volume mundane tasks or functions ready for automation. 

• Understand Security Risks

AI and Automation have a lot of benefits, but it also comes with various security risks. Artificial Intelligence systems are prone to hackers and malware that threaten your information. So, it is essential to take precautions beforehand. Ensure you properly handle your business’s and customer’s data. 

• Create a Culture of Automation

Any organization’s primary challenge and goal will be to instill a positive culture of automation within the workforce. Your employees should proactively seek to automate some of their tasks or take ideas from AI to free up their bandwidth.

Encourage and motivate them to hand over tasks to AI and Automation systems. You can achieve this culture by continuously telling your employees about the positive effects that AI and Automation have or will have on your organization. 

Many people will grasp the broader context of AI, which includes reduced costs, faster processes, and better customer experiences. However, personal stories are often overlooked. So, encourage your existing team members to share their personal journey with the technology and how it has boosted their motivation, morale, and career prospects. 

• Encourage Team Members to Grow into New Positions

It would be best if you empathize with your staff because they fear that technology will replace their job. So, you need to identify such employees and prepare them by mining their potential to grow into a new position. 

Adopting technology is okay, but forgetting about the employees that are affected by the process is wrong. Also, this will help you to maintain solid relationships with your workers, as these are the foundations of a successful business.

• Check Your Existing Data

You can deploy automation for mundane and repetitive tasks, but you need to have good-quality data for AI. AI systems usually rely on good data. However, you do not need expensive tools for this as excellent data science techniques are available, but touching base and preparing for this is essential before deploying AI. 

Also, clear out duplicates or bad forms of data regularly. Once your data is clean, you can take full advantage of AI. 

Conclusion

Automation and AI will change how businesses operate, and consumers interact. Understanding the changes and disruption it will bring is necessary. 

At the same time, preparing in advance and pivoting your business processes will help you to grow and succeed massively. 

However, before adopting these technologies, it is highly recommended to understand how it works and identify how they can benefit your business. Also, speak to your team members and stakeholders so you can make an informed decision and be prepared for the coming changes.