I don’t think there’s a theory called “AI Replacement Theory”, I just thought it worked well as a title, though I wouldn’t be surprised if it ended up becoming one!
Over a week ago, I came across this article (AI won’t replace you – but it will redefine what makes you valuable at work, by Nazrul Islam, Professor of Business and Associate Director, Centre of FinTech, University of East London), and bookmarked it because I thought it was worth writing about.
At the outset, the article states that workers worldwide are anxious about AI replacement and obsolescence (I admit I’ve had similar thoughts), but research indicates AI isn’t replacing people, it’s changing what makes us valuable in organisations.
Currently, AI excels at pattern recognition, data analysis, repetition, speed, scale, prediction, generation (text/images/code), and tireless computation, thanks to many clever humans training its models. Yet, no matter how rapidly AI has advanced, it still lacks distinctly human traits: creativity, genuine empathy, wise judgment, and true collaboration. Some may push back and claim AI already has these and more, but I argue that mimicking them is not the same as possessing them. Workday’s research found that “uniquely human skills such as ethical decision-making, empathy, relationship building, and conflict resolution” were key to success in an AI-driven economy. Prof. Nazrul’s research aligns with these findings as well, demonstrating that worker-AI partnerships can do more for organisations than purely AI-driven automations.
Workers are afraid because a lack of honest, open, communication about organisational AI strategy creates tremendous uncertainty. If you’re a business owner or boss reading this, can I please urge you to communicate with your employees before you roll out AI. Yes, you have the right to push ahead without buy-in, but is it worth the “fear, rumours, and resistance”? On the other hand, if you involved your employees from the start and were transparent about the goals and intentions of introducing AI, the outcome would be radically different.
Prof. Nazrul states that misalignment, having the wrong skills in the AI age, not mass unemployment, is the real challenge. AI could replace us, but rather than waiting for the inevitable with a defeatist mentality, we can take proactive action and invest in ourselves to add more value than our AI counterparts can deliver, even if they are trained extremely well to perform our current tasks better and faster. I agree with Prof. Nazrul when he suggests that everyone at all levels should be AI literate, and that we should be building up both our technical skills, as well as the distinctly human qualities mentioned earlier (creativity, empathy, judgement, and collaboration).
We can passively wait till Skynet takes over, or upskill ourselves to always be able to wield its power!
For the past few years I’ve been constantly upskilling myself, and will keep doing so, God willing.
If you’re a business owner or decision maker wanting to bring AI in the right way – transparently, collaboratively, and without the fear and drama – please reach out. I’d love to help you get it right.