How to Embrace AI Automation ?
Artificial intelligence (AI) and automation are transforming the world of work. They offer immense benefits for businesses and society, such as increased productivity, improved quality, enhanced innovation, and reduced environmental impact. But they also pose significant challenges for workers, employers, and policy makers, who need to adapt to the changing nature and demands of work.
AI and automation are not just replacing human tasks, but also augmenting and creating new ones. According to a report by McKinsey Global Institute, by 2030, up to 375 million workers worldwide may need to switch occupational categories due to automation. At the same time, demand for skills such as creativity, critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and emotional intelligence will rise. Moreover, new occupations and industries will emerge as a result of AI and automation.
How can we embrace AI automation and prepare for the future of work? Here are some key steps that can help:
- Invest in lifelong learning: Workers need to continuously update their skills and knowledge to keep up with the evolving demands of work. Employers should provide opportunities for reskilling and upskilling their employees through training programs, online courses, mentoring schemes, etc. Policy makers should support education systems that foster lifelong learning and enable workers to access relevant learning resources throughout their careers.
- Foster a culture of innovation: AI and automation can unleash human creativity and potential by freeing workers from mundane tasks and enabling them to focus on higher-value activities. To harness this potential, workers need to develop a mindset of curiosity, experimentation, and problem-solving. Employers should encourage innovation among their employees by providing them with autonomy, feedback, recognition, incentives, etc. Policy makers should foster a conducive environment for innovation by supporting research and development (R&D), entrepreneurship,
and collaboration across sectors. - Embrace diversity and inclusion: AI and automation can create more opportunities for diverse groups of workers by reducing barriers such as physical location, time constraints, and discrimination.
However, they can also exacerbate existing inequalities if some groups are left behind or excluded from accessing the benefits of technology. Workers need to embrace diversity and inclusion as sources of strength and competitive advantage in the global market. Employers should promote diversity and inclusion among their employees by ensuring fair hiring practices, equal pay, flexible work arrangements, etc. Policy makers should protect the rights and interests of all workers by enforcing anti-discrimination laws, providing social protection, and facilitating labor mobility.
AI automation is here to stay. It is up to us how we shape its impact on our lives and work. By taking proactive steps to embrace AI automation, we can create a more prosperous, innovative, and inclusive future of work.
AI automation A new wave of innovation Transforming the world of work Creating new opportunities and challenges Some fear the loss of jobs and skills Some embrace the change and thrill Some wonder what the future will bring Some hope for a better and fairer thing AI automation A force of disruption and creation Shaping the economy and society Requiring vision and agility We need to prepare and adapt We need to learn and act We need to collaborate and innovate We need to solve and create AI automation A source of inspiration and aspiration Enabling new possibilities and realities Demanding responsibility and humanityby Bing chat. (2023, March 6)
Reference :
McKinsey Global Institute. (2018). AI, automation, and the future of work: Ten things to solve for.
