Can AI actually make work more human?

Far from being the death knell for traditional jobs, AI could actually prove to make your work life better, new research has found.

A study by Goldsmiths, University of London and software firm Automation Anywhere found that companies who are investing in AI are seeing major benefits in productivity and efficiency from their employees.

Those companies that are utilising AI and robotic process automation (RPA) technology are actually "humanising" their workplace, the survey found, amplifying the "human experience" in the office.

“Think of the human body breathing,” said Mihir Shukla, CEO at Automation Anywhere.  “It’s a complex and critical mechanism, but automated, so our brains are freed to power everything else we do. I think for many organisations, all they can do is ‘breathe.’ It’s so important, it’s all the employees can focus on. 

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British companies were also found to be one of the biggest advocates of AI and RPA in the workplace, with 72 percent of organisations saying they were ready to take advantage of new opportunities.

Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of British firms added their employees were more effective and enjoyed greater wellbeing thanks to augmentation, making the UK the market with the second-highest score for this category.

“Digital technology’s nascent autonomy promises an evolutionary leap in our capacity to grow as human beings,” said Dr. Chris Brauer, director of innovation in the Institute of Management Studies (IMS) at Goldsmiths, University of London. 

“While the hyped potential of AI generates endless headlines, technologies such as RPA are quietly being rolled out in many of the most productive companies around the world – humans and bots are already working alongside each other across the globe and in every sector. Where businesses are getting it right, the best of our human capabilities are being augmented by technology to create innovation before unimagined. But in these early days, not everyone is getting it right.”

Mike Moore
Deputy Editor, TechRadar Pro

Mike Moore is Deputy Editor at TechRadar Pro. He has worked as a B2B and B2C tech journalist for nearly a decade, including at one of the UK's leading national newspapers and fellow Future title ITProPortal, and when he's not keeping track of all the latest enterprise and workplace trends, can most likely be found watching, following or taking part in some kind of sport.