Development is moving immeasurably fast, and if you want to avoid being overtaken, you have to be prepared for what is to come. Because AI brings with it both challenges and opportunities. In this article, we look at how artificial intelligence is going to affect the way companies are structured, hire and train already now.

What is AI?

We all already use AI every day, without thinking about it. Because while IBM's Deep Blue, which won over chess champion Gary Kasparov in 1997 and Watson, which won over two previous Jeopardy! masters in 2011, are some of the most well-known examples of AI, so AI is used in things we take quite naturally. In your phone, your car and in your home. However, the technology is still at an early stage, and all AI today are limited by the fact that they can only do one thing each.

Three types of AI:

• ANI: Artificial Narrow Intelligence. Where technology is today. Consists of computers with an intelligence equal to or higher than that of humans, specialized in one area, e.g. Chess. We all use ANI today. Found i.a. in your car's GPS, your phone, Google, spam filters, big data etc.
• AGI: Artificial General Intelligence: Here we are talking about AI at a human level of intelligence in all areas. That means a computer that can solve any task that a human can. Involves i.a. the ability to reason, plan, solve problems and think abstractly.
• ASI: Artificial Superintelligence: AI that is a little or a lot smarter than humans on all fronts.

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What will this mean for businesses?

As I said, we are at AI's lowest level of development. But this certainly does not mean that we should underestimate the importance of considering the opportunities and challenges that AI presents in companies today.

FastCompany have looked at Deloitte's 2017 Human Capital Trends Report, in which more than 10,000 HR and business managers in 140 countries have been surveyed. And the results clearly show that AI is already influencing how companies organize, recruit and train their employees today.

HR gets other tasks

The study showed that it is the task-oriented jobs that are being outcompeted by AI. So HR's rational tasks, such as evaluating CVs, employment contracts etc. are increasingly being taken over by AI in various forms. On the other hand, AI does not understand human intent, so while the HR department's task becomes less and less to evaluate and recruit, the focus shifts to a greater degree towards improving employees' experiences across a temporary workforce. The focus is to a lesser extent on professional competences. Instead, cultural fit becomes more important.

This is how AI changes the way companies structure themselves

Both the changes in HR's areas of responsibility and the way the workforce is assembled mean that organizations are becoming more collaborative and team-oriented.

32 % of the organizations in the survey say that they are re-designing their organizations to become more team-oriented, optimize their adaptability and focus on learning as a preparation for technological disruption.

This is just the beginning. Before too many years (on average, experts believe it will be in the year 2040), AI will become smarter than humans. It is of course difficult to predict exactly what will happen and what significance it will have, but companies should at least ensure that they can keep up until then.

As the FastCompany article concludes,

“While AI technologies are still in their infancy, it wonIt won't be long before every organization is forced to develop their own AI strategy in order to stay competitive. Those with the HR teams, training program, organizational structures, and adaptable staff will be best prepared for this fast-approaching reality.” [Source]