With advancements in technology, almost every walk of human life has undergone a sea change. Talking about the business world, in particular, workplaces have seen tremendous changes: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Robots, and Machine Learning (ML) technologies have overtaken repetitive and routine tasks and have yielded great productivity and retention rates. Looking back, we cannot even imagine a life without cell phones, computers, tablets, and other such devices that have made our lives easier today. But in the midst of all these advancements, there has been a persistent question: Will machines replace humans?
Before we delve deeper into answering this question, let us throw some light on what machines can do and how they work. In short, what constitutes machines? The term machines is often used to describe computers and computerized equipment, like robots, programmed to work like humans. Occasionally, we call it AI, other times just robotics, or bots. The overall objective to build the bots is to cut costs, improve efficiencies, execute new business models, and offer value prepositions.
To answer the earlier question straight, while the debate is on, at the crux is a simple point: Nothing works beyond the creative thought process of a human being. Every business model, product design, or machine functionality comes into working only when human’s creative endeavors are transformed and it is then enhanced by machines. No matter how much technology-driven and data-driven we become, success ultimately depends on the people involved. Even the most technologically sound organization in the world will falter due to the lack of innovators or entrepreneurs who direct the technology to make lives better for customers or workplaces better for employees.
Undoubtedly, technology is also taking equal amounts of credit for all kinds of results. The next section will explain how machine and human capabilities can converge to develop a productive and rewarding relationship:
Technology and humans must work in tandem
Tech replacing humans is now the talk of the town. Surely the technological wheel is moving rapidly, and many instances prove that it can do things perfectly, but this does not mean that it is just perfect. Even when tech can perform adequately, the human touch is required in many cases. What remains lacking is the artistry in the activity, which can be fulfilled only by humans in unique ways to cater to an individual’s needs. A person who is good at his/her job understands when to adjust and required subtleties.
At the same time, many functionalities may be straightforward for a machine but tedious or virtually impossible to be achieved by humans. Machines can enhance what humans do best. Most crucially, machines widen our cognitive strengths; help us focus on crucial tasks by taking over other routine tasks; and represent human skills to extend our physical capabilities.
Businesses actually require a combination of both capabilities.
Technology as a rapid stimulator for change
The Covid crisis has awakened a sleeping giant. It demonstrated just how quickly enterprises could pivot themselves and demonstrated their ability to adapt, innovate and move with agility. The events that have occurred in the last two years have accelerated the pace at which organizations adapt to the changes brought about by the pandemic. Many tech giants believed that they had already undergone the change, but major shifts happened in a matter of months. Companies have re-defined their working models and adapted themselves to the new work-from-home technological processes. Great companies now know that they can change faster than they or anyone else believed.
Technology advances human’s stake too
As skills and experiences take another shape, humanity evolves in tune with technology and takes another form. As technologies change, the individual or, say, human and their perspective, too, will change.
The examples of innovation here are – natural language processing, voice recognition, and ML among others. All of these technological advancements have, in fact, made the interaction between humans and technology relatively better with simple touches, natural conversations, and great personalization. Therefore, technology acts as a helping hand for humans when we need to make an impact on customers, give a message, or just reduce a long process to a short one.
Technology offerings to the society
With the introduction of robots in the workplace, they are surely expanding skills, showing awesome productivity and retention rates. Flying cars will soon solve traffic woes. In the future, people on Earth will be able to colonize other planets with a technological breakthrough. Technology has made life easier and more diverse for people, but it has also caused some people to feel negative about it.
Over-reliance on digital apps and gadgets has affected us mentally. Talking about the younger generation, they are more addicted to the digital world and, hence, often do not want to communicate with their peers face-to-face in the real world. Those addicted to playing video games face sedentary lifestyle issues as they often do not leave their homes for weeks, which eventually ruins their health. If used properly, technological innovations can bring positive changes to society. Its positive or negative impact completely depends on how humans use it.
Takeaway
Fears that technology will replace human workers throughout the economy are not unfounded. But that’s not the inevitable or even most likely outcome. AI and ML capabilities will change the way we get our work done but technology has a greater role to play in complementing and augmenting human capabilities, not replacing them.
So, will machines replace humans in doing jobs? The answer, to some extent, is yes. However, with every job taken away by technology, there will be an equal number of opportunities for jobs to be done by people. Some jobs are so creative that they can’t get completed without human skills. Otherwise, humans and machines like AI and ML will find themselves in symbiotic relationships, helping each other do what they do best. People and machines will simply enhance each other position, which they are already doing today.