This article was originally published in the Summer 2018 issue of The Record.

When asked how artificial intelligence (AI) will improve our lives, many people think of high-profile examples such as autonomous cars and smart homes. However, AI may be making the fastest inroads where people spend most of their waking hours: the workplace. But how will AI change the nature of work?

DXC Technology believes AI will be key for facilitating the flexible, productive workstyle that today’s workforce expects. AI, robotics and machine learning will shift how people work, replacing highly manual and repetitive jobs on both the factory floor and in the office. However, these roles will be replaced by an equal, or greater, number of jobs in new areas that require more creativity and critical thinking. In fact, a 2017 CCS Insight survey found that almost 50% of the 650 respondents think AI will increase the number of available jobs. When millennials are isolated from that respondent group, that figure jumps to 64%.

Currently filling peripheral roles in the workplace, AI is rapidly working its way towards playing a larger role. For example, IT administrators are using AI to support bring your own device policies by putting guardrails around devices to safeguard corporate data and ensure that everything employees do can be audited. In addition, the technology can identify undetected malware and other vulnerabilities, or intervene when users take risks.

AI can make employees more productive by guiding them through various processes. Workers who shift from one device to another throughout the day, for example, might benefit from AI-assisted authentication and automated workflow. This could end the error-prone routine of manually tracking document revisions or e-mailing attachments from one device to another.

How we interact with AI-powered systems is changing rapidly too. Conversational systems provide a natural, easy-to-use interface for user-requested actions. They’re also increasingly capable of monitoring conversations, taking notes, documenting action items and creating calendar entries without prompting, which is ideal for meetings. Meanwhile, chatbots are quickly improving employee and customer experiences by immediately answering simple technical questions and providing step-by-step assistance to resolve common issues. Plus, AI can automatically and accurately translate between languages, which will benefit global companies interacting with customers in multiple countries.

AI has grown exponentially over the past few years and will continue to play a pivotal role for DXC – we’re using it to give employees and customers the power to be more productive and they’re responding eagerly.

Maria Pardee is senior vice president and general manager for Workplace and Mobility at DXC Technology

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