Make no mistake, when the hype and excitement around AI calms, the technology will still be here, and it will have fundamentally changed the workplace and the way we work.
On this virtual round table discussion from The HR World, led by Dan Gallagher, Founder, The Intersection Network, HR and TA experts came together to discuss their current position with regard to AI, how it was impacting on their work and where it might go in the future.
But the discussion went further than that. As the title suggested, Gallagher drew from his own experience and reflected on that of fellow round table attendees to identify productive and measured ways forward in using AI, a progression which would ensure the technology has a strong positive impact for people, reducing bias and maximising efficiency.
The current state of play seems to suggest there are more ‘business-wide’ AI initiatives than HR specific projects. To some extent this maybe due to a lack of knowledge around how to use the technology but there was also a sense of wariness around the lack of transparency in some solutions offered.
Where the technology is being introduced there are clear guardrails being deployed to protect the organisation, people & data affected and there is recognition of the need for regular communication & education to show that the technology doesn’t need to be considered ‘scary’ but can be used effectively by anyone.
One major question raised around AI however is why is it being used in the first place. This reason needs to be clear, front and centre: is it for time saving, for efficiency or to do something else? Without clarity around this issue the value of deployment and adoption can be compromised.
While bias with AI operation was discussed, so too was access to AI and how this may impact equality among candidates and employees. While one phrase surfaced: ’AI won’t take your job, but you might lose it to someone who can use AI’, it was also noted that there is a gender imbalance around this technology use as well as a danger that it may contribute to an increasing socio-economic gap.
Ultimately while there may still be a lack of frameworks for moving ahead with AI, there is a clear desire to making the technology work positively for organisations and employees. To this extent the current users and adopters of AI are still on a path of discovery, understanding how it can work and the implications of it use.
