AI, Culture and the Future of Work

Leveraging AI to find and eliminate microaggressions and bias

In an era of rapid technological advancement, artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to reshape the workplace. With all the hype around AI, I want to understand how we leverage this powerful tool to create more equitable and inclusive workplaces. In this second part of our series on AI and the future of work, we continue our conversation with Alida Al-Saadi , a trailblazer at the intersection of people strategy and AI, to explore how to deploy and harness the power of AI to improve talent management, engagement and organizational effectiveness.

You can find part one of our discussion on AI and the Future of Work, here .?

Q. Let’s dive right in. How might Generative AI uncover microaggressions, bias and/or discrepancies between gender and underrepresented groups in the workplace??

A:? Imagine a world where artificial intelligence seamlessly integrates into workplaces across the globe, revolutionizing interpersonal dynamics with new technologies. Picture an AI that can instantly analyze all your meetings, detecting subtle microaggressions, biased language and discriminatory behavior that historically went unnoticed. Visualize gaining insights into how time is allocated by role, function or demographic and understanding evolving communication patterns over time. Envision receiving automatic reports about interruptions during meetings, identifying instances where people are dismissed as "emotional," or assigned less intellectually stimulating tasks. Imagine a system that offers personalized learning to encourage culture-specific behaviors, fostering a more inclusive and respectful workplace environment. If you think this world is far off, think again. We have entered a new age where advances in technology make this not only possible but attainable today. So, what are we seeing?

When companies establish a baseline of customary communication patterns within the workplace, generative AI can identify anomalies or deviations from this baseline. By training the AI on existing images, text or audio, it can quickly predict the likelihood of, and uncover the potential for, undesirable characteristics. New interventions can then be developed based on emerging patterns or subtle biases. Some ways it can surface microaggressions:

• Analyzing Words/Tone: Highlighting and cataloging text from emails, comments and internal forums for frequency and severity of problematic language and flagging negative interactions to reveal potential areas of conflict or bias.
• Reviewing Sentiment: Assessing employee surveys or open-ended responses for subtle shifts in tone and underlying themes of workplace negativity.
• Detecting Behavior Patterns: Identifying common complaints or areas of concern that may indicate subtle biases, conflicts or patterns of passive-aggressive behavior.?

While these AI-driven methods hold promise, it's important to note that implementing these AI-driven methods requires careful consideration of privacy, consent and ethical implications. Ensuring transparency in how data is used and maintaining the confidentiality of communications will be crucial for building trust and effectively addressing microaggressions in the workplace.?

Q. What does Generative AI do to create micro affirmative and micro validating workplaces??

A: As people are experimenting with the various GenAI platforms, adoption is taking place spontaneously. According to a recent McKinsey & Company article , “If 2023?was the year the world discovered?generative AI , 2024 is the year organizations truly began using—and deriving business value from—this new technology . . .? 65 percent of respondents report that their organizations are regularly using gen AI, nearly double the percentage from our previous survey just ten months ago.”

As companies adopt, people can now receive real-time feedback in the flow of work. This includes receiving immediate:

• Alerts when potentially harmful language is detected
• Identification of risk groups within the organization?
• Suggestions for inclusive ways to rephrase problematic statements
• Promptings for bias training and additional preventative measures?
• Experiences tailored and personalized for underrepresented groups with unique needs?

These interventions immediately highlight instances of microaggressive behavior such as sudden changes in communication frequency or patterns, which might be indicative of underlying issues or discomfort. Then it nudges and prompts to shift communication styles, attitudes and behavioral tendencies in real time.

Recently, one of my colleagues was in a meeting and was getting quite excited about the discussion. While he was expressing his vehement opinion, a prompt appeared on his screen, “Your voice seems to be getting a bit louder. Would you like to take a moment to collect your thoughts before continuing?"?

Although we all laughed when he revealed this query to the group, it sparked a multitude of questions about whether GenAI can distinguish the nuances between enthusiasm and hostility. How quickly will it become sophisticated enough to genuinely help us become better communicators with one another?

Something that should be on everyone’s mind is, “What do we want GenAI to do for us and what do we not want it to do?” By envisioning and intentionally designing our preferred futures, the dawn of this new age can lead us to a place where our vision for a validating and affirmative work environment becomes a consistent and elevating reality.

Q: Looking ahead, what are some immediate considerations you might suggest for organizations looking to implement GenAI in their Culture Transformation efforts?

A: As we navigate this rapidly evolving new era, several key considerations emerge as organizations look to leverage generative AI in their culture transformation efforts including:

1. Ethical Use: Establish clear guidelines for the ethical implementation of AI in culture initiatives.
2. Privacy Protection: Ensure robust measures are in place to protect individual privacy when using AI for analysis.
3. Stakeholder Engagement: Involve diverse voices in the development and implementation of AI-driven culture strategies.
4. Prompt Design: Educate on asking quality questions to generate content.?
5. Human Oversight: Act on AI-provided insights with human judgment, as it remains crucial in leveraging these valuable insights.
6. Continuous Learning: Implement mechanisms for ongoing monitoring and improvement of AI systems to reduce biases over time.
7. Future Vision: Consider not just what AI can do, but what we as a society want AI to do in the realm of culture and human interactions. This forward-thinking approach will help align AI development with our values and ethical standards.

Conclusion

As we stand at the intersection of AI and Culture, the potential for creating more equitable workplaces is immense. However, realizing this potential requires thoughtful implementation, continuous evaluation and a commitment to using these powerful tools in service of our shared values of diversity, equity and inclusion.

We'd love to hear your thoughts. How do you see AI shaping Culture efforts in your organization? Share your experiences and insights in the comments below.

Note: The views expressed are solely those of the author and interviewee and may not represent those of their clients or employers.