A recent Oracle blog explored how AI makes work more human. Many believe that AI will eliminate the need for human workers, but that is not the case. AI empowers humans to work smarter and with more insight, and it has the power to make work even more human.

How AI Makes Work More Human

In recent years, technology has made most tasks easier, but artificial intelligence changes the game. Rather than fitting people into a repetitive process, AI offers the opportunity to liberate them from it altogether – freeing their time and creative energy for more strategic and meaningful work. For the first time since the Industrial Revolution, technology is being used to bring humanity back to work.

This revolution started at home, thanks to the smart technology behind Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant, which have found a place in our daily lives. We are able to ask questions and expect helpful and accurate answers. This is a much more conversational, intuitive human way of interacting with technology than we are used to at work. Enterprise software reflects a set of predefined business processes into which people input data – allowing the system to produce the right outcomes.

Now, technology can start with the outcome. Think about the way you engage with Google Maps. The outcome is getting to your destination as quickly as possible. Behind the scenes, the application is synthesizing inputs, such as traffic, slowdowns, and construction, to recommend the best route. When people come to work, they expect the same type of experience.

AI for Employee Experience

About 10 years ago, HR started transitioning from a compliance-oriented function to one that is driven by employee experience. That is because, more and more, employees want to connect with the company’s values and understand how they are contributing to the organization. It is up to HR to deliver that kind of employee experience. Luckily, AI technology is already available to make this happen. Here’s how it does that for employees, applicants, and recruiters:

AI for Employees

AI is already transforming the HR help desk. Earlier this year, Oracle launched an HR-specific digital assistant that allows employees to ask questions with their voice or through text on their mobile phones. They can quickly get answers, such as directory information, vacation balance, paychecks, expense reports, and more. The conversational user interface can also help guide employees to the right business processes, such as manager feedback, without having to know ahead of time where to navigate to.

AI for Applicants

The recruitment and application process is the first time anybody experiences your employer brand, so it is really important to deliver an engaging candidate experience. Chatbots can guide candidates through the recruiting process by answering questions around job requirements or position details, as well as providing guidance on the next steps in the recruiting process.

AI for Recruiters

In addition to helping recruiters find the right candidates based on job requirements, AI can also analyze your organization’s most successful employees to identify criteria that you may not be aware of and use those to help you recommend the candidates that are the most likely to succeed for your target positions. Additionally, AI can be leveraged to reduce unconscious bias by ignoring demographic factors, such as the candidate’s gender, race, and age, which research has shown to affect hiring decisions.

What’s Next?

The relationship between humans and machines will be completely redefined in the next five or 10 years. As AI and robotics take over routine, repetitive tasks, the humans working alongside them will take on “super jobs.” These “super jobs” are those that can only be done by humans – bringing together technical skills with “soft” skills in areas like communication, service, and collaboration.

Now that AI has reached a level where it can automate a lot of the things that humans don’t want to do, there is more time to focus on creativity, strategy, and more importantly, connecting with each other, which is what humans want to do in the first place.

To learn more about how AI makes work more human and how it is incorporated into daily work, check out the additional resources attached below.

Additional Resources