The Future of Work in the Fourth Industrial Revolution

Written by Mark James, lecturer at UCD Professional Academy

We are somewhere in the middle of the fourth industrial revolution. AI enables new ways of doing tasks that were once considered uniquely human work. AI can handle complex tasks like decision-making, interpreting all kinds of data nuancedly, and being creative. We're witnessing the culmination of generations of progress since the invention of the computer.

We have brought the computer closer to us than ever before, where we can now interact with it in more natural human ways. The future workplace will be a very different environment, and we all need to think about how our roles will change.

Understanding the Past and the Future

Let's start by considering why this is so difficult. The first line in L.P. Hartley's novel, 'The Go-Between,' really captures how many are feeling about the future of work - "The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there." Our ability to understand the world around us is fundamentally tied to our experiences and the cultural, societal, and technological lens through which we interpret and reflect on those experiences. If you didn't witness the transition of society from pre to post-electricity or the mass market introduction of the computer, it's nearly impossible to truly understand how that must have felt to those people. It's an interesting perspective to take when thinking about the present.

Firstly, it's only right to acknowledge that there is some degree of merit to the concerns people have. The rise of AI raises important questions about job displacement, privacy concerns, and the digital divide. While AI can create new job opportunities, it can also render certain roles obsolete, leading to job losses and increased inequality. As AI systems become more integrated into the workplace, they often require access to vast amounts of data, raising questions about data security and privacy. Furthermore, the pervasive use of AI can contribute to the digital divide, with those lacking access to technology being left behind.

But on the flip side, AI has the potential to automate mundane tasks, freeing up human capacity for more creative and complex problem-solving. John Haist, an AI Specialist for Modern Work, perfectly illustrates this point, saying, "By drastically reducing the menial tasks we do, and allowing us to turn our attention to higher-level work… generative AI technology can radically accelerate some of the major challenges we are facing around the world; including climate change, global health issues, poverty, water contamination, access to food, and more."

While many professions, especially those involving repetitive, rule-based tasks, face the threat of being automated, it doesn't necessarily mean that those jobs won't exist anymore - just not in their current form. John Haist states: 'Just like with the inception of the internet, or the invention of the iPhone, I believe we are closing in on the next major revolution in technology with Generative AI. This shiny new toy enables people to achieve more in the work they do, in a much shorter period of time.' It's often stated that AI is creating new job categories that didn't exist before, such as data scientist, AI ethics officer, robotics technician etc. But what is really interesting is how it is changing current roles and what they seem to be evolving into. 

The Evolution of Roles

For instance, consider roles in Marketing and Sales. As AI continues to evolve, we are seeing a significant shift in these fields. Instead of traditional sales and marketing methods, AI is enabling a data-driven approach. Salespeople are increasingly relying on AI tools for predictive analysis to understand consumer behaviour, and Marketing is leveraging AI to create more personalised content and efficiently target their campaigns. In this sense, the Marketing and Sales professionals of the future might be part data scientists, part strategists, and part creative minds, bringing together a diverse skill set to interpret and act on insights drawn from AI.

On the other hand, Customer Service reps, another role traditionally defined by human interaction, are being transformed by AI in profound ways. Chatbots, for instance, can handle routine queries, freeing up the human reps to handle more complex or sensitive issues. A new hybrid role is emerging - customer service representatives who not only handle complex, non-automatable inquiries, but also train, monitor, and improve these AI systems, constantly adapting them to changing customer needs. New titles are beginning to emerge, such as Customer Experience Specialist - a more impactful role that is enabled by AI and focuses on truly unique human qualities of empathy and understanding. Customer service evolves from being seen as a cost centre, to a fundamentally important part of the organisation's competitive advantage, building meaningful relationships, understanding nuanced customer needs, creating personalised experiences, and cultivating customer loyalty.

The traditional role of the Accountant began with tracking financial activity and evolved into managing and interpreting financial data. This trend is now continuing at a more rapid pace. With AI, more and more of the manual data input and processing has been automated, freeing up the Accountant to play a more strategic role. Accountants in the future might spend more time analysing financial trends, giving business advice, and playing an integral part in shaping an organisation's overall strategy. They may evolve into business advisors, financial strategists, or even corporate futurists, who not only interpret the data but forecast future scenarios at a high resolution of detail and accuracy using AI, and guiding companies towards sustainable growth.

Even roles traditionally considered safe from automation, like those in Management and Leadership, are being impacted. AI provides analytical tools that assist in decision-making processes and strategic planning, leading to a shift where managers are expected to understand and interpret complex data trends while still demonstrating traditional leadership skills.

Hybrid Skills

The demand for hybrid workers, capable of navigating both the technical aspects of AI and the human-centred skills that AI still struggles with, such as empathy, creativity, and leadership, will undoubtedly increase further. As we try to figure out where we are going, it becomes clear that three critical areas need to be addressed: Skills development and lifelong learning to face technology-induced job creation and destruction; fostering digital literacy to navigate digital platforms and understand the implications of algorithmic decisions; and a solid understanding of legal and ethical issues related to digital technologies to protect workers' rights and privacy.

Bringing the Human Back into the Picture

At the systemic level, a collective global effort is needed to shape the future of work. Collaboration among workers' and employers' organisations, governments, and educational institutions is key. John Haist offers a hopeful outlook: "What makes Generative AI technologies such as ChatGPT different, is that it actually brings the human back into the picture... Instead of running silently in the background, this 'copilot' approach puts the human firmly back in the driver's seat and solves the 'Blackbox' issue of non-transparency that exists with 'autopilot' AI." To navigate the AI revolution and ensure a future that serves our shared values and aspirations, we must commit to a proactive approach, encompassing lifelong learning, digital literacy, ethical understanding, and global collaboration. The aim should be to put technology at the service of people and decent work.

We are standing on the precipice of the next major technological revolution, presenting both significant opportunities and challenges. The impact of AI on the workplace is likely to continue to evolve in creative ways, taking unexpected detours along the way. We can anticipate some aspects, such as a continued trend towards automating more and more tasks within our workflows as AI systems become increasingly sophisticated and capable. We can also expect new challenges to emerge alongside these developments.

Like L.P. Hartley's opening line about the past, it seems the future can also be seen as a foreign country, but with one key difference - we have the opportunity to shape it in a way that serves our shared values and aspirations. By engaging in thoughtful, inclusive conversations about AI and the future of work, we can ensure that this technological revolution brings about a future that is fair, inclusive, and beneficial for all.