A TRANSFORMATIVE TECHNOLOGY
Artificial intelligence has made its way into the workplace and holds the potential to be as transformative as the steam engine was during the Industrial Revolution. With the development of advanced large language models by major technology firms such as Anthropic, Cohere, Google, Meta, Mistral, and OpenAI, we are entering a new era of information technology. The long-term promise of AI is substantial, with potential productivity gains from corporate use cases estimated at $4.4 trillion. However, the short-term benefits remain less clear. Over the next three years, 92% of companies plan to increase their investment in AI. Despite this, only 1% of business leaders consider their organisations to be truly mature in their AI deployment, where the technology is fully integrated into workflows and delivers significant business outcomes.
The key challenge for leaders is how to allocate resources effectively and steer their organisations towards greater AI maturity, to the point where the technology becomes the foundation of any successful business. Reid Hoffman, the cofounder of LinkedIn and Inflection AI, partner at Greylock Partners, and author, said:
“Scientific discoveries and technological innovations are stones in the cathedral of human progress.”
BENEFITS OF AI IN THE WORKPLACE
- Increased efficiency and productivity – AI can automate repetitive tasks, enabling employees to concentrate on more strategic and creative activities.
- Improved decision-making – AI-driven analytics can identify trends, predict outcomes, and support more informed decision-making.
- Reduced costs – Automation minimises human error, streamlines manual processes, and boosts overall efficiency, resulting in cost savings.
- Enhanced risk management – AI can analyse data to detect potential risks and anomalies, helping to prevent fraud and other issues.
- Personalised learning and development – AI can customise training programmes to address individual skill gaps and development needs, promoting growth and engagement.
- Improved employee satisfaction – AI can assist employees in managing workloads, accessing information quickly, and receiving real-time feedback, contributing to a more positive work environment.
- Streamlined collaboration – AI-powered tools can improve communication, coordination, and teamwork, supporting a more collaborative and productive workplace.
Thinking of the benefits, both now and in the future, Sam Altman, cofounder and CEO of OpenAI, tells us:
“People are using [AI] to create amazing things. If we could see what each of us can do 10 or 20 years in the future, it would astonish us today.”
HARDWARE INNOVATION FOR AI IN THE WORKPLACE
Ongoing hardware innovation and the resulting increase in computing power continue to improve AI performance. Specialised chips now support faster, larger, and more adaptable models. This advancement enables businesses to adopt AI solutions that demand high processing capacity, allowing for real-time applications and greater scalability. For instance, an e-commerce company could enhance its customer service by deploying AI-driven chatbots powered by advanced graphics processing units (GPUs) and tensor processing units (TPUs). By using distributed cloud computing, the company could maintain optimal performance even during periods of high traffic. With the integration of edge hardware, it could also run models capable of analysing photos of damaged products, leading to more accurate and efficient processing of insurance claims.
CHALLENGES AND RISKS
- Job displacement – Some roles may be automated by AI, potentially resulting in job losses or the need for reskilling and upskilling.
- Data privacy concerns – AI systems often require large volumes of data, including sensitive personal information, raising concerns about data breaches and unauthorised access.
- Ethical considerations – AI can produce biased or discriminatory outcomes if trained on biased data, leading to unfair or unjust decisions.
- Lack of transparency – Some AI systems operate as “black boxes,” making it difficult to understand how decisions are made, which raises issues around accountability and fairness.
- Dependence on technology – Over-reliance on AI may reduce human oversight and weaken decision-making skills.
- Need for continuous learning – As AI continues to evolve, employees will need to adapt to new roles and technologies, requiring ongoing learning and development.
The thing is, if we know how to manage and control challenges and risks, we can potentially turn them to our advantage. In the words of Microsoft founder, Bill Gates:
“Soon after the first automobiles were on the road, there was the first car crash. But we didn’t ban cars—we adopted speed limits, safety standards, licensing requirements, drunk-driving laws, and other rules of the road.”
INCREASING TRANSPARENCY
AI is gradually becoming less risky, but it still lacks sufficient transparency and explainability. These elements are essential for enhancing AI safety and reducing the potential for bias, both of which are critical for widespread adoption in enterprise settings. While there remains a long way to go, new models and updates are driving rapid progress. According to Stanford University’s Centre for Research on Foundation Models (CRFM), significant improvements are being made in model transparency. The CRFM’s Transparency Index, which rates openness on a scale from 1 to 100, showed that between October 2023 and May 2024, Anthropic’s score rose by 15 points to 51, while Amazon’s more than tripled to 41. These gains indicate a growing focus on openness among AI developers, though many models still fall short of ideal standards.
IMPROVED EXPLAINABILITY
Beyond large language models, other forms of AI and machine learning are also improving in explainability. These advancements allow the outcomes of models used in critical decisions, such as credit risk assessments, to be traced back to the underlying data. This enables organisations to continuously monitor such systems for bias, inaccuracies, and other issues that may arise from model drift or changes in input data, even in systems that were initially well-calibrated. These capabilities are vital for detecting errors and ensuring adherence to regulatory requirements and internal policies. Many organisations have begun implementing stronger explainability practices and introducing essential checks and balances. However, they must remain agile and responsive to the growing sophistication of AI systems. Ultimately, achieving AI superagency in the workplace is not just about technical proficiency. It is equally about empowering people, designing effective processes, and upholding robust governance.
A ROAD MAP FOR AI IN THE WORKPLACE
Business leaders are responding to the need for speed by increasing their investment in AI. Among surveyed executives in a McKinsey report, 92% expect to raise AI spending over the next three years, with 55% anticipating an increase of at least 10% from current levels. However, simply investing in AI is no longer enough; there is growing pressure to demonstrate a clear return on investment as organisations move beyond the initial excitement surrounding generative AI. We have reached a pivotal moment. While early enthusiasm for AI may be tapering off, the pace of technological advancement is only accelerating. This calls for bold, purposeful strategies to lay the groundwork for long-term success. Many leaders are already taking action: one in four executives surveyed has established a generative AI road map, and just over half are refining a draft plan. Given how rapidly the technology is evolving, these plans must remain flexible and responsive. The key for business leaders is to make clear decisions about which opportunities to prioritise, and to collaborate closely with peers, teams, and partners to realise that value effectively. This is reinforced by Demis Hassabis, cofounder and CEO of Google DeepMind, who says:
“It is in the collaboration between people and algorithms that incredible scientific progress lies over the next few decades.”
ETHICAL CONCERNS
AI in the workplace raises several ethical issues, including privacy, bias, accountability, and the risk of job displacement, all of which require careful attention to ensure responsible use. Privacy concerns arise from data collection and surveillance, demanding transparency and regulatory compliance. Bias in AI algorithms can lead to discrimination, necessitating careful data management and monitoring. Clear accountability is essential when AI impacts individuals, along with transparency about how decisions are made. The automation of tasks may cause job losses, highlighting the need for retraining and support. Maintaining human agency is important to avoid over-reliance on AI that could undermine skills and creativity. Moral responsibility for AI actions is complex, involving developers and employers. The broader social impact includes effects on values, norms, and economic inequality, while environmental concerns relate to AI’s energy use. Additionally, generative AI raises copyright and plagiarism issues that must be addressed. Overall, these challenges call for thoughtful, proactive measures to manage AI’s ethical implications in the workplace. Marco Iansiti, a researcher at Harvard Business School says:
“We need to be sure that in a world that’s driven by algorithms, the algorithms are actually doing the right things. They’re doing the legal things. And they’re doing the ethical things.”
CLOSING COMMENTS
Many groundbreaking technologies, such as the internet, smartphones, and cloud computing, have reshaped the way we live and work. However, AI stands apart from these innovations by offering more than just access to information. It can summarise, write code, reason, engage in conversation, and make decisions. AI can lower skill barriers, allowing more people to gain expertise across various fields, in any language and at any time. It holds the potential to transform how individuals access and apply knowledge, leading to more efficient and effective problem-solving and enabling innovation that benefits all.
PROCESS IT BETTER
While artificial intelligence has emerged as a powerful ally in the realm of cybersecurity, its integration is not without its challenges and potential threats. As organisations embrace AI to fortify their defences against cyber threats, they must navigate a landscape of complexities and risks. Understanding these challenges is crucial to harnessing the full potential of AI while mitigating the associated threats. As London’s #1 end-to-end IT support and cybersecurity for SMEs, Zhero is perfectly positioned to get you up to speed with AI and help you leverage the best of artificial intelligence with Process IT Better. Our automated Process IT Better offering means crushing any and all of your IT chaos using intelligent automation solutions. With Process It Better, we pinpoint which of your processes are opportunities for automation and make clear goals for your automation initiatives means you can effectively measure success, track progress, and identify even more automation opportunities. Reach out to Zhero today – we’ll crush your IT chaos.
