#168: AI, Automation, and the Future of Employment: What You Need to Know
The advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) technology has been gaining immense traction in recent years. With its potential for incredible insights and capabilities, many are asking if it will replace human jobs and create mass unemployment. In this blog post, we’ll look at what the possibilities are for AI taking over certain roles in the workplace - and the impact this could have on employment.
AI in the Workplace
AI has rapidly become a key player in many industries due to its potential to provide significant benefits. For example, AI can save time by automating mundane tasks such as data entry or bookkeeping. It is also able to mine large amounts of data quickly and accurately for insights, and can even be used to monitor employees’ performance in the workplace.
However, it is important to note that AI cannot replace humans completely. AI systems are not currently advanced enough to handle complex tasks requiring problem-solving abilities and creative thinking. Therefore, while AI may take over certain roles in the workplace, such as customer service agents or data entry clerks, it is not likely to replace highly skilled positions.
The Impact of AI on Employment
Despite the fact that AI will not completely replace human jobs, it could still have a significant impact on employment. As more and more tasks are automated with the help of AI, there could be fewer opportunities for manual labor and entry-level positions in certain industries. This could lead to an increase in unemployment, especially for those who lack the skills or qualifications required for more specialized roles.
At the same time, however, AI could also open up new job opportunities. By automating certain tasks and freeing up employees’ time, businesses may be able to focus more on innovation and creativity - leading to the creation of higher-skilled positions.
Benefits of AI in the Workplace
Increased efficiency and accuracy when completing mundane tasks
Improved customer service and marketing strategies due to insights into customer behavior
Cost savings or increased profits that can be reinvested in employees and initiatives
More targeted employee performance monitoring
New job opportunities for those with the right skills and qualifications
Better employee engagement due to increased focus on innovation and creativity.
Improved customer experience due to automation of certain tasks.
Increased cost savings and profits, which can be reinvested into the business.
More targeted marketing strategies based on data insights from AI systems.
Reduced errors and improved accuracy when completing certain tasks.
It is clear that AI could have a significant impact on the workplace - so long as businesses are mindful of its potential implications and make sure to invest in their workforce. By utilizing AI technology strategically, they can ensure their operations remain efficient and productive - while also providing job security for employees.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, AI is not likely to completely replace human jobs, but it could still have a significant impact on employment. As businesses look to capitalize on the benefits of AI technology, it is important to consider the potential implications for employees and ensure proper measures are taken to protect their interests.
Overall, AI could open up new job opportunities - so long as businesses are willing to invest in training and development so that their staff can take advantage of these emerging roles. By striking a balance between automation and employee development, businesses can ensure their operations remain efficient and productive - while also providing job security for their workforce.
Listen to the Show:
Laura 00:00
Welcome back to the AI-Driven Marketing podcast. I'm your host, Laura Meyer. And today we're going to dive into a topic that's pretty controversial and creating a lot of buzz, which is AI and jobs. And if you're listening, you've been wondering about this. I have a question for you. How many times in the last month or even in the last week, have you heard that AI is coming for our jobs, and that soon, machines and algorithms will make human workers obsolete, especially in local brick and mortar businesses. I was even recently talking to my CPA, and he was worried about AI taking over bookkeeping and tax returns, I can't even imagine. But it's a fear that's echoed and countless headlines and reports. But is it really as grim as it sounds? So, in today's episode, I'm going to share with you my observations on the real impact on AI and workplaces. And I believe that it's not quite as worrisome as many of us might believe. And it's not about machines stealing our jobs, but it's about machines, transforming our jobs. And it's in this transformation that we often find really exciting opportunities for growth and innovation. Stay tuned.
Laura 01:19
Welcome to the AI-Driven marketing podcast. This is a place where we deliver quick and insightful weekly tips about 10 minutes or less on what's new and groundbreaking in the world of marketing AI. I'm your host, Laura Meyer, a 20 plus year entrepreneur and marketing expert. If you are excited about staying ahead of the curve and harnessing the potential of AI in your marketing strategies, you're in the right place. Let's go.
Laura 01:50
So, I get asked probably weekly, will prompt engineering become a job? Will this be something that we need to be thinking about for our kids and for our families? Is this something that could be taking over the entire universe of having AI as workers? Because they're smarter than us? It's not necessarily true. It's just a little bit more efficient than us. Which is true, and how well will it be able to mimic human intelligence in the coming years. So, when we talk about AI, as we commonly know it, it is a technological innovation that enables machines to mimic human intelligence and process information at a level of scale that the human brain simply can't. So, it can learn from experience, it can adjust for new inputs, it can perform tasks that typically require human intelligence, but it won't replace it. And I'll share why. When we think about job automation, a lot of times we can imagine robots replacing human workers on assembly lines or automated software doing all the data entry jobs. But the scope of AI tends to be far more nuanced and widespread than just that.
Laura 03:01
So, we work with a lot of brick and mortar businesses, service based businesses, especially in the beauty, health and wellness sector. And in that place, AI is making real significant inroads. So, if we consider the simple task of booking appointments, and I know I owned a brick and
mortar business for 15 years, and it was really hard to get consistency within our booking process. So an AI powered sales assistant can handle customer inquiries appointment bookings. And it's something that would typically need a human receptionist. So if we think about the personalized product recommendations, AI can recommend a service based on a customer's past purchases, and suggest products they might be interested in. But, and this is a huge, but AI is not about replacing jobs. It's about automating certain tasks within jobs to improve efficiency and productivity. So right now, we're working with a brick and mortar wellness company in California. And I think the team is getting a little bit spooked about how well this system can work and how much their day to day tasks that are very repetitive could be taken over by AI. But I was sharing with the team that this just frees them up to do things that AI can't do, like establish human connections, like call somebody when they reply to the AI sales assistant, hey, I'm going in for surgery that requires a human touch and connection that they now have more time for. So this is all about how these incredible strides in AI. While there's a lot of fear that tends to linger in our collective consciousness, but that as it grows to be more powerful, it won't necessarily replace human workers or create this widespread unemployment, but it will really tend to free people up to them. They're most meaningful work, they don't have to feel so stressed going through this huge task list that they can really work on making those connections.
Laura 05:09
So, you know, AI is not here to replace us or take over our jobs. But again, I want to really help us think about what are those certain tasks, the repetitive, mundane aspects of our work that could be replaced? And how do we look at that in terms of real terms. So we're also working with a local spa, with five locations. And with AI stepping in, there's a time consuming task of again, booking those appointments. But rather than the team member who books, the appointments have to do all these redundant or mundane tasks, again, it frees them up, they're not tied down by scheduling, they now have more time to provide personalized service to customers engage with them, forge strong relationships, they can also focus on enhancing the customer experience. So if they're looking at the exchange between a customer and AI, and they're realizing, oh, this person has a real problem, and they're really worried about their child, that was a recent exchange that I saw without a wellness company recently, I had alerted the manager and I said, Hey, I probably give this data call, he's really worried about his young daughter. And that was just, it freed that manager up to be able to make those phone calls. So there's certain level of personal touch that AI for all of his advancements cannot replicate. So instead of looking at AI as a harbinger of job losses, I really want us to see it as a tool, a partner that allows us to bring our best selves to the roles that we perform. And it's a shift in perspective, that's not just important, but necessary, because the truth is, AI is not just coming, but it's here, it's open. For the time being everybody has access to it. So it will shift the landscape of our work lives. And when we look at it as a way to enhance human roles, and we look across multiple industries, but for the sake of relevance, I'll keep my focus on local service
based businesses, they there is so much of an opportunity for AI to handle scheduling client inquiries, things that just again, occupied previously such a huge chunk of staff time. And there was a another situation recently where AI took over appointment bookings, but also inventory management. So that again, allowed the salon staff to focus on providing beauty treatments and advice for their clients. So in all of the examples I'm providing AI didn't replace jobs. Instead, it took over the more mundane administrative tasks, freeing up the professionals from what they do best, provide a high quality, personalized service that builds relationships and drives business.
Laura 07:55
So I hope this helps share with you why AI needs to be looked at as less of a job threat, and more of a productivity enhancing tool that allows humans to bring more of their unique value to their roles. And we pull back and take in the broader picture that I've painted today. The idea of AI as this job eliminating worry is a little bit more of a myth than reality. And truth, AI has enormous potential to transform jobs and maybe replace some jobs. But for the most part, in the short term, it's all about freeing up humans to do things that only humans can do. And the future of work. And my opinion is not humans versus AI. It's humans empowered by AI. And the businesses that can understand this and act on this truth will be the ones that get ahead have that as a sort of cheat code in the years to come. So before I close this episode, I want to share a resource that I think is going to be really valuable. If you are a local business and you're trying to figure out how AI can help you make more sales, I have a free training at makemoresaleswithai.com. That's makemoresaleswithai.com. Where we dive deeper into these concepts. It's a very short, powerful training in it, you can learn how to utilize AI with your own business, transform the roles and responsibilities in your company, and ultimately enhance customer service and sales. So head over to makemoresaleswithai.com. And I just want to thank you for joining me today. I'm excited to continue this exploration of AI with you and I'll see you in the next episode.
Laura 09:41
Thank you for tuning in to the AI driven marketing podcast. Before we wrap up, I just want to remind you that you can learn more about how to make more sales with AI by going to makemoresaleswithai.com. This is where I dive deeper into the AI revolution in marketing with our free training and If you've enjoyed today's episode, please share it with others who might find it valuable. And if you can also just take a moment to leave us a review, I would greatly appreciate it. Your support helps us continue to bring you the top insights in the field of AI driven marketing. Until next time, remember AI is here and it's transforming the marketing landscape. Stay Ahead, stay informed, and most importantly, stay excited. I'll see you soon.
Welcome to the AI-Driven Marketing Podcast! Join host Laura Meyer, a 20+ year veteran entrepreneur and marketing expert, as she unveils the future of marketing that's already at your fingertips. Each episode offers quick, valuable insights, news, and practical tips about how AI is revolutionizing the marketing landscape, shaping how businesses engage with customers, and enhancing marketing strategies. Tune in to stay ahead, informed, and excited about the remarkable opportunities that AI brings to the world of marketing.