For some people, the idea of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace immediately brings to mind negative thoughts. They picture a scenario where "the machines have taken over," similar to the plot of the Terminator films. The truth is much more favorable for humans: we are collaborating with AI to perform several jobs, but there is no reason to believe that we must worry about Cyberdyne Systems running everything and humans having to go underground in real life.

Artificial intelligence in the workplace can drive powerful changes in business. It can become involved in anything from personalized shopping recommendations and wearable health sensors to social media filters and fraud detection. AI has become very good at transforming everyday life into the most noteworthy one. 

What is Artificial Intelligence? 

What are we referring to when we talk about AI? Artificial intelligence is a specific type of computer programming. It powers most of the intelligent programming that people interact with today. Standard computer programs are built around particular rules, filters, and exceptions "that allow them to appear intelligent." None of the programs rely on true intelligence; each simply follows the rules in its program.

Artificial intelligence allows a computer system to crunch large data sets. The computer can also learn and change its behavior based on past experiences. Since AI relies on large data sets, it can be beneficial for categorization and prediction tasks.

How Artificial Intelligence Works 

At AI's essence is the algorithm, which is the instructions that tell a computer what to do. There is a big difference between computational tasks like setting up a spreadsheet and artificial intelligence, which can overwrite its instructions.

Instead of crunching the exact computations repeatedly, an AI algorithm can learn to define exceptions to its predictions through a feedback loop. Artificial intelligence is most often used on data sets that are much larger and more significant than the capacity of a spreadsheet, which can hold about one million rows of data.

Artificial Intelligence at Work and "Human" Jobs 

Artificial intelligence at work has become very good at several "human jobs," such as:

• Diagnosing disease
• Providing customer service
• Translating languages

Some workers have become concerned that their jobs will be lost as AI becomes more advanced. This is not the most likely outcome when artificial intelligence becomes more popular in the workplace. Artificial intelligence will change how work gets done, who gets it, and who completes tasks. Its major impact at work will be focused on complementing human skill sets, not replacing them.

No matter how skillful these digital tools are, they still need a human supervisor to check their results. In the case of diagnosing diseases, a more senior doctor must always check the diagnosis before a treatment plan can be started.

Humans Perform Critical Functions with AI 

When a company deploys AI in its organization, humans are responsible for performing three critical functions:

1. They train the machines to perform specific tasks.
2. They explain the outcomes of the tasks.
3. Humans are responsible for sustaining the accountable use of machines.

Humans Train Machines. Machine-learning algorithms must be taught how to perform the tasks they have been designed to do. For example, data training sets are gathered to teach machine translation apps how to handle various expressions they will hear from native speakers. Medical apps will be taught how to detect disease, and customer service systems must learn the best ways to interact with humans.

AI assistants are trained to convey complex and subtle human traits like sympathy. Suppose a customer says they are having a bad day. In that case, Koko, an offshoot company from the MIT Media Lab, will ask for more information about the situation and then offer advice so the customer can see their situation differently. If the customer is stressed, Koko should consider the tension a positive force that can be channeled into action.

Humans Explain Task Outcomes. Artificial intelligence reaches conclusions through opaque processes (the black box problem). They need human experts to justify their behavior to non-expert ones.

The explainers are essential in law and medicine, where a practitioner must understand how an AI evaluates data for a medical recommendation or sentencing.

Humans Sustain Machines. Businesses also need sustainers, employees who work to ensure that AI systems function safely and correctly. A group of experts focuses on anticipating and preventing harm caused by artificial intelligence. Developers of industrial robots ensure that they recognize humans and don't harm them.

Another group of sustainers ensures that AI systems uphold credit norms. If an AI system discriminates against a specific group, the sustainers must investigate and address the problem.

Intelligent machines are helping humans expand the way they do business. By taking over repetitive or uninteresting tasks, humans can work on more exciting tasks that bring more value to the company.

PositiveVision has been serving the needs of the business community in Chicago and the area for more than 30 years. Our experts will be happy to help guide you through a high-tech transition, such as introducing AI intelligence in the workplace. Contact us today to speak to one of our product experts about a custom solution for your business. When you reach out, ask about our software training services for your team.

Linda Baran

Linda Baran is in charge of the people side of PositiveVision. Linda’s background includes working in a variety of industries including investment, manufacturing, and information technology.