5 Practical Applications of AI in the Workforce
It’s hard to find a business that hasn’t been impacted by artificial intelligence. Recent AI breakthroughs transformed industries seemingly overnight, making processes more efficient, workers more productive, and business data more accurate.
While some fear job displacement, artificial intelligence in the workplace presents a tremendous opportunity to augment human capabilities, boost productivity, and create new and exciting possibilities. A Harvard Business Review article says AI will eliminate menial and repetitive jobs and allow humans to take up more complex tasks, augmenting workers, not replacing them.
In this article, we’ll take a look at AI in the workplace, exploring the benefits, practical applications, and important considerations of this exploding technology.
The Benefits of AI in the Workplace
AI is already proving to have wide-reaching business benefits. Specifically related to AI in the workforce, sophisticated solutions can deliver gains in productivity, customer engagement, employee retention, and cost reduction.
Increased Productivity and Efficiency
AI automates repetitive tasks like scheduling meetings, data entry, and customer service inquiries, freeing employees up for tasks requiring higher-level thinking, strategic decision-making, and creativity.
Deloitte’s 2023 Global Human Capital Trends Report indicates that artificial intelligence and machine learning will contribute to a 37 percent increase in labor productivity by 2025.
Enhanced Decision-Making and Accuracy
AI workplace solutions can analyze vast amounts of data to identify patterns and trends that humans might miss. This allows businesses to make data-driven decisions, leading to better outcomes in areas like marketing, finance, and operations. AI-powered data analysis can also provide insights that reveal how to streamline processes, optimize workflows, and improve efficiency.
Improved Customer Engagement
AI chatbots can provide 24/7 customer support, answer frequently asked questions, and personalize the customer experience. Many businesses leverage AI to take the burden off their call center reps, particularly during periods of peak demand. Some AI software can even assist with scheduling appointments over the phone with an indistinguishable human voice.
AI solutions can also suggest additional purchase options based on a customer’s actions and history. Streaming services use AI to suggest media users might enjoy based on their previous choices.
Better Employee Experiences
More than 80 percent of respondents to a 2022 Deloitte survey expect AI in the workforce to improve job satisfaction. Many expect to leverage automation to move workers from unsatisfying repetitive tasks to more fulfilling creative activities.
AI can further improve the employee experience by automating recruitment, onboarding, and training tasks. Additionally, AI can personalize learning and development opportunities for each employee, fostering a more engaged and motivated workforce.
Increased Diversity
AI workplace software fosters diversity and inclusivity through blind hiring and data-driven skill assessments. For example, AI-powered HR platforms can evaluate potential hires based on their experience and skill sets while obscuring irrelevant attributes and legally protected traits (age, gender, ethnicity, disability, etc.).
Reduced Costs
Taken together, these benefits all add up to reduced operational costs. The greater efficiency created by AI solutions can lead to increased profitability and allow businesses to reinvest in other areas.
Practical Applications of AI in the Workplace
Businesses can gain these benefits through a variety of AI workplace solutions. Here are five applications of AI that can help streamline operations for companies and their employees.
1. Recruitment and Onboarding
Companies already use AI hiring tools to help pre-screen job candidates. AI-powered solutions also help recruiters assess candidates during interviews, reducing the impact of unconscious biases on the recruitment process.
Many organizations use AI-powered chatbots during the onboarding process to help new hires acclimate to the company and their new role.
2. Learning and Training
Many businesses use AI in the workplace to facilitate and improve ongoing training and increase employees’ skills.
AI tools can customize training plans to each individual’s educational needs based on their experience and knowledge.
Similarly, some companies use AI-powered systems to coach employees as they work. These systems monitor and analyze actions in real time then provide feedback to guide workers through a process.
For example, many logistics and transportation companies use AI in the workforce. These systems combine cameras, software that tracks eye movement, and other AI applications to watch for distracted driving. When the AI detects an inattentive driver, it alerts the individual and recommends corrective actions.
3. Robots
Robots form an artificial intelligence workforce that is already helping businesses improve warehouse operations, site security, and product delivery. For example, Amazon expects its fleet of warehouse robots to improve order fulfillment speeds by 25 percent. Automobile manufacturers have been using assembly line robots for years.
On the assembly line, robots can do more precise work, increasing product quality and process efficiency. They can also work nonstop without tiring or losing focus, enabling 24/7 operations.
4. Automating Intellectual Work
Businesses have long used AI in the workforce to automate repetitive manual tasks like data entry. Now, advances in AI have created generative AI tools that can perform tasks requiring some thought. These new AI products can record meeting audio and create summaries and reports, for example.
Newer generative AIs can make realistic images, audio, and video, which will help workers in creative roles. These tools can create visual art, music, poetry, prose, and computer code.
However, AI-generated creative art could expose businesses to legal trouble. AI companies are being sued by artists who discovered that an AI solution had used their intellectual property, violating the artist’s copyright.
5. Industry-specific AI Workplace Solutions
Unique problems sometimes call for custom solutions, and artificial intelligence in the workplace is no exception. Custom AI tools are sprouting up to address the specific needs of many industries.
Healthcare. The healthcare industry uses AI and machine learning solutions for faster analysis of the mountains of data collected over decades. These AI tools reveal patterns and insights that humans alone can’t discover. Diagnostic AI helps clinicians catch diseases earlier and more accurately, and then develop individualized treatment plans designed for better patient outcomes. Pharmaceutical companies are using AI to revolutionize drug discovery.
Financial services. Financial services companies use an artificial intelligence workforce to improve fraud detection and data security. AI tools can make almost instant decisions about a transaction’s legitimacy by rapidly analyzing historical and real-time data. Banking firms also use AI for wealth management, loan approvals, and investment decisions.
Industrial maintenance. Beyond assembly line robotics, the industrial sector uses AI to predict when equipment will need maintenance. Predictive maintenance allows these businesses to minimize downtime and plan maintenance cycles to be less disruptive to operations.
Transportation. AI solutions are helping businesses and communities optimize their traffic management operations and transportation logistics. AI-enhanced dispatch software helps companies like NEMT operators streamline operations and eliminate service gaps.
AI and Workplace Considerations
Artificial intelligence in the workplace requires careful consideration before it is implemented. Businesses must be aware of the ethical implications of AI tools and take measures to ensure transparency and fairness in AI implementation.
Company leaders should be prepared to address bias, privacy concerns, and fears about job loss. Consider adopting AI solutions that complement human skills, rather than replacing them.
Artificial intelligence workforce tools are still evolving. Staying updated on advances in these AI tools requires continuous learning and training. To maximize the potential of AI in the workforce, business leaders must commit adequate time and budget to ongoing education for employees working with AI tools.
