Despite the coronavirus pandemic negatively transforming the world in terms of the economy, it has given rise to many new innovations. Despite the pandemic putting many businesses under pressure, especially with worldwide shutdowns and lockdowns, this has led to accelerated digitalization of the workplace. And, this is all thanks to the development of more efficient, digital operating models that reinvent work and wield the power of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation.
Why AI Matters
“Many companies rely on AI to keep their businesses running, rather than risk having to shut down, due to social distancing orders,” says Jayden Stevenson, a writer at Writinity and Research Papers UK. “With AI, businesses can enable automation on many tasks required to keep running, thus saving them money and allowing them to focus on other major developments.”
The usage of AI is not stopping any time soon.
- With the concept first brought up more than 60 years ago, AI (formerly known as “deep learning”) has become a reality with continued research.
- By 2030, AI is expected to contribute as much as $15 trillion to the world economy, making it largely and commercially viable in today’s fast-changing economy.
Current AI Trends
Many trends have developed over the pandemic era to propel AI into the future. Here are the four most noteworthy AI trends that have emerged through the pandemic:
Remote Work
With lockdowns prevalent across the globe, many people have turned to remote work as an alternative way to make ends meet. Online meetings, conference calls, and webinars are also being held on platforms (e.g. Cisco WebEx, Zoom, Skype, Google Meet, Team Viewer, etc.). AI algorithms allow these economic and social miracles to happen in the midst of this pandemic, thus slowing the viral spread. Plus, both employees and employers can reap the benefits of remote work – employees have more flexibility, and companies save money on hiring in-house personnel.
Better Surveillance
With AI, CCTVs, surveillance cameras, mobile phone trackers, travel data, etc. widely used and applied across industries, features like facial recognition and contact tracing make it useful to keep track of sickness and COVID-19 symptoms in the general public. Even thermal imaging to detect fevers can be credited to AI, which can be extremely useful for public places, including schools, apartment complexes, government buildings, airports, etc.
Research And Development
AI plays a big role in research and development across all fields, including:
- Astronomy
- Automobiles
- Healthcare
- Finances
- Entertainment
- Social media
- Gaming
- Smart appliances
AI has been useful in research conducted by various industries and has introduced new ways to develop products and services based on the data.
Automation In Industries
Many industries have already seen the potential in AI, and would use automation to complete simple tasks, while humans can work on the tasks that are more tedious and require human completion.
For example, according to a recent report, several call-centers have already employed AI-powered bots (i.e. Chatbots and virtual assistants) to fill temporary positions. Many companies, after having tasted the economic and productivity benefits of automation, are likely to continue this practice. Now, while this practice may result in lost jobs due to AI, it still promises a significant increase in creating new job opportunities in automation technology development and in other fields where the saved money can be reallocated.
The Future Of AI
“Now that AI has already been made known in the workplace, there’s still more that it can do. As it continues to evolve, AI – along with Machine Learning and data analytics – is expected to not only improve our quality of life, but also create new jobs by the millions,” says Karen Thayer, a tech blogger at Draft beyond and Last minute writing.
AI is expected to integrate even more in the workplace, as it will augment management processes but still leave room for human need in the workplace. It’s also expected to improve the overall efficiency of many industries we rely on in day-to-day life.
Conclusion
AI has and will continue to transform life as we know it, despite the pandemic. This technological miracle has not only changed the way things are done in a company, but it has also changed how people go about their lives outside of work. With cutting-edge technology to take the place of in-house operations during lockdowns, AI is now a household tool when it comes to employment, careers, and overall efficiency.
Ultimately, AI will continue to transform the workforce for the better, as more and more people adapt to its convenience and quickness in today’s busy – and sometimes unexpected – world. The good news is, despite the pandemic, millions of people will learn to get by any means possible.
Author Bio
Cheri. S. Jones is an emerging entrepreneur and business writer at Essay writing services UK and Gumessays.com. She has been involved in a number of daring and challenging business projects, through which she managed to find success. Cheri is a firm believer in planning and organization being the keys to success in all aspects of our lives.