AI Empowering Workers Enhancing Jobs Not Replacing Them

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In today's rapidly evolving technological landscape, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is often portrayed as a disruptive force threatening jobs. However, a closer look reveals a different narrative: many businesses are leveraging AI to augment their workforce, enhancing human capabilities rather than rendering them obsolete. Jim Stratton, CTO at Workday, exemplifies this trend, using AI for coding, research, and learning, significantly boosting his productivity.

At Workday, nearly 60% of its 20,000 employees regularly use AI. The impact is clear: half report gaining new insights or fostering creativity, and three-quarters experience increased productivity. Crucially, Workday hasn't downsized its workforce, illustrating a growing understanding that AI complements human skills.

The Symbiotic Relationship Between AI and Human Workers

Contrary to fears of widespread job displacement, the adoption of AI technologies underscores the ongoing demand for human expertise. AI systems require human oversight and skills for successful implementation. This synergy means that human workers are more valuable than ever, with AI opening new avenues for those who adapt to these changes.

Nazrul Islam, co-author of the research study "Worker and Workplace Artificial Intelligence (AI) Coexistence: Emerging Themes and Research Agenda," emphasizes this point: "Artificial intelligence does not just help workers, artificial intelligence needs workers to function." The study suggests that a collaborative model, where AI supports and enhances human abilities, is not only realistic but already in practice. For more on employer perspectives, see what AI skills employers are seeking.

When it comes to uniquely human strengths—such as managing people, emotional intelligence, coordination, and teamwork—and conceptual skills like creativity, critical thinking, and analytical reasoning, AI currently falls short of human capabilities. This reality is reshaping skill demands, even in technical fields.

Aneesh Raman, Chief Economic Opportunity Officer at LinkedIn, notes, "Even engineers are having to think differently about their own mix of skills. Having a deliberate mix of technical and non-technical skills is growing into a differentiator between a good engineer and a great one, especially in the AI-powered workplace."

Islam's research also points to a "cyclical perpetual race" where workers must continually adapt by acquiring new skills to remain relevant as AI evolves, making upskilling a constant necessity.

The Imperative of Upskilling in the AI Era

Staying current is always important, but mastering AI tools is fast becoming a key differentiator in the job market. A LinkedIn report from early this year revealed that 81% of global executives surveyed would rather hire someone proficient with AI tools over someone with more experience but less AI confidence.

Karim Lakhani, Chair of the Digital Data Design Institute at Harvard, puts it bluntly: "I've long believed that AI will not replace humans, but humans with AI will replace humans without it. Upskilling is no longer optional, it's a career imperative." This highlights a crucial point: AI might not take your job, but a lack of AI skills could.

Workers are proactively seeking AI literacy, which is the fastest-growing skill on LinkedIn in the US. Learning platforms like Coursera, Google Cloud, and Amazon Web Services are increasingly offering AI courses.

Employers' Role in Fostering AI Proficiency

Business leaders and employers are pivotal in this transition. Lakhani adds, "With AI reshaping every industry, all workers have to keep learning how to use the tools or they'll fall further and further behind. And prioritizing upskilling is a responsibility on both sides, for companies and their workers."

A McKinsey Digital report, titled "Superagency in the Workplace: Empowering People to Unlock AI's Full Potential," found that 60% of employees are optimistic about AI, and half desire more formal generative AI training from their organizations.

Hannah Mayer, a McKinsey partner and co-author of the report, shared an example of a client developing a training module with personalized nudges to help sales teams prepare for customer interactions more effectively. Such training not only boosts efficiency but also reassures employees that AI is a supportive tool, not a replacement.

Mayer's advice to business leaders is clear: "provide the training that employees are so desperately literally asking for."

Measuring AI's Return on Investment

While the theory of AI-driven productivity gains through upskilling is sound, practical adoption faces hurdles. Developing and deploying AI is costly, and the return on investment (ROI) often remains elusive. The same McKinsey report indicated that most C-level executives see limited returns on enterprise-wide AI investments, with only 19% reporting revenue growth above 5%.

Despite strong perceived value, a LinkedIn study found that only half of businesses using generative AI for two years have seen a 10% revenue increase, a figure that may not yet justify broad implementation and training. Therefore, assessing ROI on a case-by-case basis is more effective. Learn about how business leaders are using AI effectively.

Andrea Derler, Ph.D., Principal at Visier, a people analytics company, notes, "There is a significant amount of time savings which can translate into money savings, because the analysts can spend their time now on more strategic work." For instance, Baptist Health, a Visier client, cut turnover by 50% using workforce insights, saving costs associated with onboarding and improving morale. Another client saved 80% of time previously spent on data gathering.

Navigating Job Losses in the AI Transition

It's undeniable that AI is leading to some job displacement. Headlines feature major companies reducing staff to integrate AI. Duolingo's CEO, for example, announced plans to phase out contract workers for tasks AI can perform. UPS also announced intentions to cut 20,000 jobs due to new technologies, including machine learning. Concerns persist that AI could impact many entry-level white-collar jobs.

This shift mirrors past digital transformations. The internet boom made many traditional jobs obsolete but also created entirely new industries and roles like web design, e-commerce, and social media management. Derler reflects, "It happened in every really big transformation in the last 20 years; whenever we had new technologies, jobs shifted, which is very unfortunate for the people involved, but it was almost part of the transformation."

The Horizon of Future Jobs

History suggests that AI will also forge new career paths. Roles in machine learning engineering, data annotation, AI ethics consultancy, and prompt design are emerging, reflecting the needs of an advancing technological landscape. Understanding the most critical job skill for the AI revolution is key.

Aneesh Raman from LinkedIn confirms, "AI engineers, AI researchers, and AI consultants are some of the most in-demand and fastest-growing jobs on LinkedIn this year."

Even those not directly in AI fields can benefit by delegating routine tasks to AI, freeing them to focus on more engaging and strategic work. Workday's "EverydayAI" program encourages internal AI use, leading to increased productivity and mutual benefits for employees and the company, without workforce reductions.

Stratton concludes, "We're seeing probably 20-30% in terms of AI-based check-ins, so that's a big productivity gain, and we don't look at that as we need 20-30% fewer developers, we look at that we can do a whole lot more, a lot faster."

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