3 Pillars of How AI Will Support the Future of Work
As part of a recent Q&A with Info-Tech Research Group’s Research & Advisory Director, Igor Ikonnikov, for VentureBeat, “The new world of work: You plus AI,” I detailed my perspective on the state of human-aware AI and its far-reaching impact on the future of work. The unique distinction between humans and AI can be strategically leveraged to realize the strengths of each, creating AI-Human symbiosis, which can help us augment our work performance and productivity.
Specifically, I spoke with Igor about three specific steps or pillars for better understanding how AI can support the future of work; they are to: extend our capabilities with AI; teach AI to understand us better; and create human-AI interactions that work in the moment.
Recent advancements have paved the way for human-aware technology, the ability to sense what humans need in the moment to better augment our innate skills—including the ability to respond to and support our emotional and social intelligence. By augmenting our abilities with AI, we are able to accomplish more quality work, even when it comes to our interactions with one another as humans.
As we continue to leverage human-aware AI, we must find a balance between machine intelligence and human intelligence—and optimize for it to address our challenges in the workplace. Forrester analyst Ian Jacobs strongly validated this point when he said, “Empathy fatigue is real. The human beings themselves are so worn down by the work, they need some guidance.” That sentiment has never been more true than one year into a global pandemic. By teaching AI to understand humans better, in the same ways in which we teach ourselves, we improve AI’s ability to support us.
Lastly, increased success at work will come when organizations leverage humans, paired with AI, to drive an enhanced experience in the moments that matter most. It is those in-the-moment interactions where the new wave of opportunity arises -- where we don’t miss other human signals or cues due to fatigue and burnout; and instead consistently seize important opportunities to have quality engagements with our teammates and customers.
We’re living in a world where humans and machines are and will continue to work alongside each other. It is our responsibility to set the course for the future of work. How do you see humans and AI working alongside each other in the future of work? Are there any steps you would add to ensuring successful AI-human symbiosis?