AI in the Workplace

AI is transforming the workplace in ways never imagined before. It can complete repetitive tasks that free up employees time as well as helping with workflow across different departments. This technology has been most commonly seen working with customer support services andI can also perform tasks like data analysis and analyzing large datasets.

            This new technology has been taking over the customer support side of working. Chatbots and virtual on-call assistants can handle customer support and questions 24/7. AI has also been used commonly to improve the process of managing PTO(paid time off) and makes it easier for employees and managers to track and request leave.

            These new machines can also help do tasks that people weren’t capable of doing before or doing the job efficiently. AI has been used to predict financial trends like revenue, and can help predict future workplace needs and can identify where skill gaps are within a certain company. It has been tested to do work like analyzing transaction patterns to detect anomalies and fraud.

            “I like AI in the workplace because it makes tedious tasks quicker and if I didn’t have it, it would take a lot longer, so it saves me time on my assignments, out of school of course,” NHS freshman Aitor Suarez said.

            Within specific industries, AI has specific needs. AI is being used in healthcare to do medical diagnosis and patient care management. In financing, AI is being used for fraud detection and loan approval. Within retail, AI is managing inventory as well as optimizing pricing. In manufacturing, they use production planning and demand forecasting.

            The long-term potential of AI is great, but the short-term returns are unclear. Over the next three years, 92 percent of companies plan to increase their AI investments. While many companies are investing in AI, only few companies are considered to have AI fully integrated into their workplace.

            “I use AI for videos in class in Spanish. I plug in the transcript and ask the Microsoft Copilot to give me multiple choice questions. Of course I have to go through it and edit it because it's still not perfect. I minimally use Microsoft Copilot once in a while to help with activities and worksheets for class. At most I spend half an hour a week on it,” Fairfield Ludlowe High School Spanish teacher Mary Grasso said.

            Many people only have positive things to say about AI, but there are a lot of downsides to it as well. One of the primary concerns is potential job displacement. Since AI is able to perform tasks better than any humans, the fear that some jobs may become obsolete has increased. AI also lacks the ability to offer the same comfort as a human. Some tasks that require emotional intelligence just cannot be fulfilled by AI.

            There are also obvious ethical or privacy concerns, particularly when it comes to using AI for data collection. A lot of organizations have developed clear guidelines to address privacy concerns. The heavy use of AI in the workplace can also lead to a dependency on technology. If AI encounters issues or a system fails, it could potentially be problematic.

            “AI at work can really help by doing boring tasks for people and giving useful information. But it also brings up some worries, like people losing their jobs, being watched too much, or needing to learn news skills to keep up,” NHS freshman Kailyn Lahey said.

Many companies use AI to increase efficiency and accuracy, allowing employees to focus on more complex or strategic tasks. In some fields, like healthcare, AI can help doctors with diagnosing diseases or predicting patient outcomes.

While AI can improve productivity, it also raises questions about job changes, as some tasks might be replaced by machines. However, AI is also creating new job opportunities that require skills in programming and data analysis.

“I love the idea of having AI in the workplace because you can be lazy and still do good things,” NHS freshman Gabby Piccirillo said.

            AI has been seen as an improvement to the workplace by many employers who have already begun to incorporate into their daily life. Although there is concern of people losing their jobs or any future job opportunities,  that hasn’t even begun to become an issue. Many professionals have voiced their concern about people beginning to rely on technology like AI too heavily.