How AI Can Enhance—Not Hurt—Careers

There's a lot of debate about whether artificial intelligence (AI) will become a major threat to the livelihood of employees. After all, the argument goes, Why pay someone to do something that a machine will do for free? However, a recent survey from Genpact conveys a more encouraging and collaborative picture of the near future. The "Is Your Business AI-Ready?" report reveals that, with the vast majority of companies planning to adopt AI, the workforce will be transformed. The report categorizes companies as either "AI leaders" or "AI laggards," and states that organizations that excel at deriving business value from AI will take advantage of the technology to allow employees to spend more time on complex activities. These leading companies also anticipate that their staffers will be comfortable working with these machines, and that the AI devices will even support creative needs. What's more, AI leaders are helping their teams prepare for the coming changes by offering employee reskilling options. "The theme of 'robots versus humans' is a staple of science fiction, and how humans will cope when the cyborgs arrive has always been a concern of socially transformative technology," according to the report. "The key factor to keep in mind, however, is the potential of human and artificial intelligence to create combined systems and ways of collaboration that are smarter than either one alone." An estimated 300 global senior executives took part in the research, which was conducted by the Fortune Knowledge Group.