A Closer Look At AI Taking Over 40% Of Working Hours
March 25, 2024

It’s official, AI has scrambled our brains. That’s not all. Get ready for this shocking revelation from Accenture’s top brass: AI is about to take over and shave a staggering 40% off your working hours. Yes, you read correctly: your reliable robot companion is going to take center stage. Sounds like a sci-fi movie, right? Well, not according to Accenture’s Chief Tech wiz.

The tech giant’s audacious forecast highlights the increasing integration of AI technologies across industries and signals a paradigm shift in the way organisations function.

Buckle up: your workweek is about to get a tech upgrade

The Chief Technology Officer of Accenture predicts that artificial intelligence (AI) will have an effect on working hours in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, banking, healthcare, and customer service. This much-anticipated revolution is mostly being driven by AI systems’ capacity to automate repetitive jobs, optimise workflows, and boost overall productivity.

Businesses will need to adopt new perspectives on work. To be productive, some workers may need to pick up new skills, while others will have to get used to constantly collaborating with an AI copilot. These models will be utilised to radically transform the way work is done as this becomes the norm, enhancing people’s potential.

Breaking down the news: what the tech boss really means

Every position within a company has the capacity to be redefined. Accenture manually identified 200 language-related tasks and evaluated which tasks had the most potential for automation or augmentation in order to determine the impact of generative artificial intelligence.

Accenture Tech Chief Predicts a 40% Cut In Working Hours Thanks to AI

Different jobs will have different levels of automation, assistance (allowing people to work on more important activities), and duties unaffected by technology. On top of that, humans will have a lot of new responsibilities, like making sure that new AI-powered technologies are used accurately and responsibly.

Skills upgrade: the catchup behind the AI magic

Customer service is one excellent illustration. An agent’s ability to address a customer’s issue more quickly and completely is substantially enhanced by generative AI’s ability to comprehend the customer’s purpose and provide them with access to vast volumes of information. Even more productivity than a chatbot or person alone might be gained, a recent MIT/Stanford study suggested- by 14%.

The chief technology officer of Accenture stressed that broad AI deployment will boost both innovation and operational efficiency. AI systems can take over regular duties, freeing up human workers to focus on value-driven tasks, problem-solving, and strategic thinking, which are areas where robots now struggle. These tasks also demand emotional intelligence and creativity.

What can companies gain from AI?

AI technology can be used to assist organisations in staying relevant in a highly competitive environment, managing and mitigating consumer, technological, and systemic risks, and balancing a variety of regulatory and corporate agendas, including changing customer expectations and demands. 

AI has the potential to be a source of exponential development and opportunity as businesses increase their investment in AI-powered innovation against this backdrop of conflicting objectives. Companies may expect huge rewards in the race to establish a competitive edge.

Riding the AI wave: how the financial and professional services industry in the UK adapts to change

Artificial Intelligence is poised to help the financial and associated professional services sector in the United Kingdom. The unique regulatory opportunities and challenges provided by digital technologies and new business models are being questioned by policymakers and regulators in the UK as well as internationally. Regulators and legislators need to persist in adopting inventive strategies in order to match the rapid advancement of technology with the expanding digital economy.

Accenture Tech Chief Predicts a 40% Cut In Working Hours Thanks to AI

AI will help both customers and industry players in a number of ways, including greater revenue growth through the development of new business models, goods, and services, as well as enabling businesses to reach new consumer groups.

Higher cost savings can be generated as AI promotes increased effectiveness across commercial activities. A better client experience, as establishments, will have the capacity to quickly provide highly personalised service solutions for new and utilising omnichannel experiences with current target segments.

Improved risk mitigation and by raising the calibre and velocity of risk management, fraud can be prevented, and other compliance-related tasks and procedures.

Beyond the cubicle—would employees now have more of a life outside of work?

On top of that, the anticipated decrease in working hours is consistent with the current conversation about attaining a better work-life balance. Employees might have more free time as AI takes over routine jobs, which might boost their general well-being and job satisfaction.

The benefits of AI-driven automation, however, also bring up significant issues with workforce adaptation and reskilling. The CTO recognised that in order to provide the workforce with the skills necessary for the changing nature of the labour market, a proactive approach to education and training was necessary. Governments, businesses, and academic institutions must work together to create comprehensive programs that meet the rising need for expertise in fields like data science, artificial intelligence, and human-machine interaction.

Now that you know the big news from Accenture’s tech maestro, you may be able to reclaim your workweek as AI comes for the mundane. However, it’s time to brush up on your skills and get ready for the AI revolution. After all, the goal of AI isn’t just to make work easier; it’s to make work better for everyone who is sick and tired of the same old grind.

(Tashia Bernardus)

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