While 2023 was a pivotal year for artificial intelligence, AI is expected to have a more significant impact in 2024, when employees will experience a rapid transformation that impacts their professional lives across various aspects of the workplace, and businesses will need to adapt quickly. Here are the five trends to expect in the AI space this year:
AI will Promote Widespread Inclusivity
AI is expected to be a valuable tool for workers with disabilities, and these advancements could bring positive changes for everyone. Many machine-learning tools designed to benefit disabled workers, like algorithm-based speech-to-text and text-to-speech tools, could become more widely accessible. These tools offer additional support to visually- and hard-of-hearing users. They can remove barriers and empower people with disabilities, promoting independence and inclusion, according to Victor Santiago Pineda, director of the Inclusive Cities Lab at UC Berkeley, U.S.
AI will Improve Equity in the Hiring and Layoff Processes
HR professionals are ready to employ AI in hiring to foster fairness, but existing technology has flaws. Academics and experts aim to diminish algorithmic bias in electronic hiring platforms and HR tools using AI. The Hire Aspirations Institute, led by Cynthia Dwork, a computer science professor at Harvard, is actively addressing bias in screening tools and the professionals who use them.
While AI can aid in diversifying candidate pools, experts and HR professionals acknowledge its limitations, especially in addressing human bias in hiring. Nevertheless, recognizing hiring inequities can heighten awareness, helping HR professionals understand their implicit judgments and work towards overcoming them.
AI will Prioritize Diversity in Hiring and Training
The growth of AI might lead regulators to concentrate more on supporting practices that include workers in both public and private sectors. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission emphasized addressing workplace discrimination in a world where AI is more prevalent in its recent Strategic Enforcement Plan (SEP). In the EU, the recently enacted AI act mandates that firms adhere to set standards for workers' rights in HR data and processes, or they may face fines.
Investing in inclusive technology, like language-learning models created by diverse teams, can aid employers in developing personalized educational programs for a broad range of employee experiences. This can offer an equal starting point for workers from diverse backgrounds.
Employees Want to Work with AI, and Employers will Invest in Upskilling
While some experts acknowledge valid concerns about AI potentially replacing specific roles, they also predict that it won't eliminate all human jobs. Instead, workers will need to adapt to coexist with this emerging technology, and those willing to learn and adjust to AI will experience the most benefits. For many, this adaptation involves re-training in specific areas and taking advantage of employer-sponsored learning opportunities. According to a 2023 survey by Jobs for the Future's Center for Artificial Intelligence & the Future of Work (JFF), most respondents believe they will need new skills to compete in an AI-driven workforce. Younger workers, in particular, feel the pressure, with 66% of Gen Z and millennial respondents expressing the need to refine and update their skill sets to stay competitive.
AI Regulation will Continue to Struggle to Keep Pace with the technology
As AI becomes more prevalent, some tech leaders are urging the establishment of clear boundaries. Regulators aim to expand AI while safeguarding the rights and jobs of a diverse workforce. Global collaboration among corporations, governments, and researchers is necessary for effective regulation. However, the rapid progress in AI technology poses a risk of surpassing efforts to create a flexible and comprehensive regulatory framework, which may raise worker concerns about job security, workplace privacy, and industry changes. Such worries can have tangible effects. A 2023 Workplace in America survey by the American Psychological Association found that respondents concerned about AI impacting their jobs experienced higher stress, anxiety, and professional burnout levels than those embracing the technology.
