How AI Is Changing the Way We Work

AI is already starting to transform the workplace, and the changes are only going to accelerate. Let’s explore some of the ways AI is changing the way we work, from automating repetitive tasks to providing decision support. We need to be careful not to let AI take over too much of our work, but we should also embrace the opportunities it provides. Most of all, we need to get some of our basics right.

When most people think of artificial intelligence (AI), they think of robots. And it’s true that industrial robots have been around for many years, performing repetitive tasks in manufacturing plants. But if we are looking at the way people at the office work, there has been much less impact of AI so far, or at least it is less visible or the changes come on a smaller scale. Did you see email clients predict the words you were about to type or remind you that you meant to attach a file to your message? That’s AI at work.

Does your email inbox have 1,000 unread emails? AI could potentially help with this, but I would challenge you first to get more disciplined about dealing with your email. The same goes for calendar invites. How many times have you looked at your calendar and seen that you have accepted an invitation to a meeting that you have no recollection of?

Again, AI could help here, but I would argue that you should get better at managing your own calendar. I could build a digital virtual assistant that books meeting rooms, sends out invitations, and manages RSVPs, but if people are not disciplined about actually reading their email and calendar invites, the system will not be of great help.