The workplace of the future: How AI is evolving the working world

Picture this – it’s your average workday morning, but instead of sorting through piles of emails or wrestling with tedious Excel spreadsheets, you’re greeted by an intelligent virtual assistant that has already streamlined your projects and coordinated team efforts.

It sounds like a science fiction dream come true – and it is. Artificial intelligence in the workplace is breathing new life into those visions right now.

Now evidently more than ever, employers everywhere are reaping the benefits of embracing AI technologies – including ChatGPT and its many relatives and enemies – to enhance productivity and solve modern business challenges.

Is this the end of times? Have the machines arrived. Hardly. Rather, the age of AI is paving the way for countless opportunities rather than simply replacing human tasks.

In fact, let’s explore how AI in the workplace could be your formula to evolve your business and its many workflows.

1. Boost collaboration with sharper insights

Imagine a scenario where a team is brainstorming ideas for a new marketing campaign or a sales strategy. You might even be looking for gaps in your workflows and trying to figure out a way to fill that gap with a new hire. An AI system analyzes each team member’s input, packages it all up, and suggests data-driven insights to optimize their campaign, making the process more efficient and effective.

Is this a threat to human employment or creativity? No – rather, it complements your natural skill sets. You’re synergizing (yes, that word) AI capabilities with human intuition and emotional understanding – which is crucial when managing staff and building new strategies that incorporate a lot of both in the planning and execution.

Related: How AI can enhance human skills and collaboration at work

For instance, Workable helps recruiters identify top talent by analyzing applicants’ job experiences and behavioral traits against company requirements on the fly. You can also use ChatGPT itself to build an ideal candidate profile with the input of information packages including the profiles of team members, the job description itself, and the company’s “About Us” page – all of which, incidentally, are already built by humans.

In short: incorporating artificial intelligence into your daily management style allows your team members to free up headspace and sharpen their focus on critical thinking exercises.

2. Speed up work with automation

Envision a scenario where employees no longer have to spend hours organizing their inbox. Instead, your AI-charged email client sorts and prioritizes messages every morning before you even open your laptop, so you can focus on the important stuff.

That’s just one example. Let’s say you deal with countless tickets and requests every day that require your attention – or rather, your “green light” before they can be moved down the line to the next team. Those still need your eyes, of course, but it’s a time suck to open up each ticket, look through it, click “OK”, click a couple of items in a drop-down menu, drag-and-drop to another field, and then send to the next person.

Automation means you just look through it and click “OK”, and the rest of it is automated. That’s how artificial intelligence workplace solutions can open up avenues for increased productivity across teams.

Another example of AI application is in sophisticated language translation software. With increasing workplace globalization, this kind of tool breaks down language barriers that can hamper international teams. Let’s say Bob in New York needs to talk quickly with Keiko in Japan, but Bob’s Japanese isn’t that great, and neither is Keiko’s English.

But they don’t need to worry about that because everything Bob says or types is automatically translated to Keiko and vice versa, so they can move more quickly on urgent tasks.

3. Grow team skills through custom L&D

Picture an employee struggling with a new software tool. Instead of attending a one-size-fits-all training session, they receive a personalized learning path designed by an AI-powered learning platform, accelerating their mastery of the tool.

With the sheer volume of softwares out there, it almost becomes a necessity to have learning modules customized to the specific needs of individual team members – not just newly hired employees, but also long-time tenured workers.

Artificial intelligence in the workplace isn’t just about refining human-generated output; it’s also designed to tap into each individual’s unique potential by creating custom educational experiences. That’s especially pertinent considering the sheer volume of new tech and software launched on a regular basis. The “standardized” toolbox and tech stack may be a thing of the past – especially during times of great change such as in this new age of AI.

For instance, online learning platform Degreed connects team members with personalized skills training programs fueled by AI recommendations source. And Rallyware streamlines orientation processes via chatbots and automation technology – a ground-breaking approach that increases employee engagement rates during onboarding phases.

Investing in your workforce with these tools can inspire, motivate and grow your teams – which makes for more bang at the bottom line.

4. Make smarter decisions armed with data

There are times where your company may be evaluating the potential of entering a new market. An AI-powered business intelligence system can sift through vast amounts of data and provide valuable insights on market trends, customer preferences, and the competitive landscape – and package all that up into a pretty dashboard to support your decision-making process.

AI in the workplace allows for more informed decision making by analyzing large datasets and turning those into actionable insights. By leveraging AI-driven analytics, businesses can quickly identify patterns, trends, and opportunities that would be overly time-consuming for humans to discern on their own.

For example, tools like ThoughtSpot enable users to ask natural language questions and receive instant, data-driven answers based on what you’re feeding into it – whether its logistics in the manufacturing sector or consumer habits in banking.

Meanwhile, predictive analytics platforms like DataRobot enable organizations to forecast future outcomes based on historical data, such as evolving reporting models to meet new regulatory requirements, identifying patterns to make more accurate diagnoses, and monitoring competitor developments to maintain competitiveness in the marketplace.

5. Detect fraud before it causes damage

In a world where cyber threats are increasingly sophisticated, an AI-powered cybersecurity system can detect and neutralize a potential attack on your company’s network before it causes costly damage.

AI-powered security solutions are increasingly playing an indispensable role in protecting businesses from cyberattacks and fraud. These systems can analyze vast amounts of data in real time, identifying suspicious activities and potential threats that might go unnoticed by human analysts – and flagging those threats for immediate human intervention as needed.

For instance, cybersecurity platform Darktrace uses AI-driven algorithms to detect and respond to cyber threats, while Fraud.net leverages AI and machine learning to analyze customer data to detect and prevent fraudulent transactions for e-commerce businesses.

6. ID and preempt supply chain risks

This may be familiar for a lot of businesses these days especially in the wake of COVID-19: your supply chain gets disrupted due to “unforeseen circumstances”. It’s very much speculation but one wonders if the global supply chain challenges triggered by the pandemic might have been eased for companies that already had an AI-enabled supply chain management system in place.

For instance – an AI-driven software can quickly identify alternative suppliers and adjust logistics plans even during minute disruptions, ensuring minimal impact on your overall operations. This improves demand forecasting, optimizes logistics, and automates routine tasks.

And as above, historical data and real-time information is regularly analyzed to make accurate predictions, helping businesses adapt to changing market conditions and minimize any potential disruptions.

For example, Project44 leverages AI to enhance end-to-end visibility and predictability in global logistics operations.

Evolve with artificial intelligence workplace solutions

If you’re feeling apprehensive or skeptical about AI in the workplace, you likely don’t need to be. Every little challenge has its AI solution – be it in recruitment, supply chain, or market volatility.

You’ve heard of the quote: “improvise, adapt, and overcome”. Commonly credited to Clint Eastwood in Heartbreak Ridge, that mentality applies here as well. These are times that demand increased business agility (in other words, improvisation and adaptability) so that you can overcome challenges that come your way, be they old or new.

Some may see AI as a challenge to our society. That is fair. But in pure business terms, it can become an invaluable asset and a great empowerer. And it’ll only grow going forward as we move into this new frontier of technology.