Beata Green, Director of HeadChannel Ltd, talks about how Artificial Intelligence may transform workplace as we know it.
An office is no longer associated with men in white shirts and ties, working from nine to five at desks bending under the weight of papers and documents. Workplaces have been constantly changing and if you started to think there is nothing left to be changed, you should probably think again, because another revolution is coming.
It might have been a great sci-fi movie idea, but Artificial Intelligence is not about the future any more. It is happening here and now and there is no way to stop it. IBM Watson is already speaking more than nine languages and saving lives by diagnosing patients with rare forms of leukaemia, Siri is ordering your pizza, Google is finishing your thoughts for you and not so far from now your fridge will be able to let your car know there’s not much milk left. The part in which AI and robots make your life easier probably does not scare you at all, but they are now about to enter your office.
Should you feel endangered?
Artificial Intelligence is said to be able to replace a lot of employees in the near future- especially when it comes to drivers being threatened by self-driving cars that are already tested — and the truth is yes, AI may take some of the positions, but it will also give a great beginning to many other jobs. Some people will probably have to prequalify, but it does not mean we will be living in a world dominated by robots — not yet.
Can AI help us?
Living in a smart world does sound comfortable and so should working in an automated workplace. It has nothing to do with a nightmare in which you are surrounded by robots constantly keeping their eyes on you. Quite the opposite, an automated workplace equals spending fewer hours in the office, understanding and completing the tasks faster and better and, what is perhaps the most important thing, being more satisfied with what you do. How can AI help you achieve all of this?
Shared office
Flexible working hours are becoming more and more popular which should not be surprising, taking into account how fast the world runs nowadays and how many tasks we are faced with every single day. Sometimes, however, showing up to an important meeting in person is necessary, luckily, Virtual Reality is here ready to help you. Considering the fact that tenants are already able to explore their future homes without moving from a comfortable couch (as all they have to do is put a strange headset on), we can soon expect VR to help employees create a shared office allowing you to work not only when you want, but also from where you want.
Virtual Agent
Software programmed bots are already a part of the reality we live in, their possibilities, however, reach far beyond checking the weather or ordering a pizza. Employees are only few days from having a virtual agent that could, just like Siri, set up a meeting for them and help them keep things ordered — both in the office and the calendar.
Customer Service
Just like we have said, bots can do much more than being a secretary. There is one job that seems to be more and more neglected, not because of employees not doing what they’re supposed to, but because of the market constantly growing and, though we do hate automated messages and the thought of talking with a robot, not with a human being scares us, customer service is the best place for software programmed bots. The best example to prove this is probably the North Face and their smart app advising their customers which jacket to choose when going skiing in February. The chatbot saves both money and time, helping you find exactly what you need at the same time.
Cyber Security
The predictions above may sound nice, but Artificial Intelligence and automation in general is not entirely focused on making life easier. Its main idea was to make life safer and that is why AI can help you and your business fight with hacker attacks and data breaches — because running a company may soon be based on data, especially big data, the risk of losing everything with just one breach is greater than ever. With the intelligent machine, however, which can protect data better the best programmes and detect threats faster than a human eye, your company may be safe.
Once applied, AI will probably be able to do more than you can now imagine, completely changing both your workplace and your entire life. What is crucial is remembering that AI is only supposed to help, not do your job for you — otherwise it may take over control before you even notice.
Beata GREEN is Director of HeadChannel Ltd, London based bespoke software development company. She is responsible for overall strategic direction and overseeing the company’s continuing growth, building closer client relationships and maintaining best working practices. She enjoys brisk country walks with her red fox labrador and then relaxing in front of a TV crime drama with a glass of red wine.
