How AI is changing our way of working

Automation and artificial intelligence are progressing, and bots and algorithms are increasingly taking over interactions. Sounds like sci-fi? Welcome to the new world of work.

When OpenAI first made ChatGPT accessible to the general public in June 2020, it was the first time many people had tried AI (artificial intelligence) in their own daily work. Anyone who expected initial hesitation was proved wrong. Within two months, ChatGPT already had 100 million registered users. And by then it was clear to many what new possibilities artificial intelligence would offer us in the future.

Companies face major challenges in dealing with AI. According to a report by the Harvard Business Review, existing job profiles will change by up to 65 percent in the coming years due to the use of artificial intelligence. Therefore, further development of the required technological skills is inevitable. For this, companies should above all invest in the training and continuing education of their employees. Experts believe that many jobs in the future will not be replaced by AI, but by people who know how to use AI efficiently in their work.

When you become aware of which issues and challenges are coming our way, you can lose heart and ask yourself: "Do we want all of this?" Or, as my grandmother always says: "Everything used to be better."

There will likely be no consensus on that, and we will have to learn to deal with it. Yet right now the longing for personal exchange and physical encounters is more palpable than ever. A study by the Fraunhofer Institute found that 73% of respondents, among many other elements, miss direct collaboration and physical interaction the most in the hybrid working world.

Companies are therefore called upon not only to invest in technology but also in places where a company's culture is tangible; where employees meet and feel a sense of belonging — the office. There will continue to be a business interest in people meeting physically — just for different activities than before. In the future, the office will be more than just a place of work; it will become a place for encounters, exchange, and creativity. To meet these new demands, we must above all fundamentally change office concepts themselves. Only then can real added value arise — both for employees and for the company itself.