Future of Work
CAREERS IN THE AGE OF AI
THE FUTURE IS ALGORITHMIC by James Hayton
the technology created greater uncertainty as its results differed from their own initial judgements without providing a clear, underlying reason.
expectations of what the technology could achieve, but it wasn’t that sophisticated,” she says. “It had to go through a period of disillusionment to moderate those expectations and target the data more effectively to produce more meaningful results. “If you look at generative AI like ChatGPT and Bard now, some of my
By the end of the trial, just one of the departments consistently incorporated AI results into its final judgements. The study was co-authored by Hila Lifshitz-Assaf, Head of the AI Innovation Network at WBS, who shares further insights on adopting AI tools on p25. It may be a matter of time before developers overcome such challenges. Until then, a more likely prospect is that LLMs could be used to ease the burden of paperwork on doctors. But that’s not all. Scientists have already used AI to analyse 6,680 compounds and discover nine potential antibiotics, including one that can kill the deadly superbug A baumannii. Eivor Oborn, Professor of Healthcare Management and Innovation at WBS, says: “Artificial intelligence could have exciting applications for pharmaceutical companies, enabling them to explore different combinations to develop new drugs. “It could also help doctors create personalised treatment plans for patients with diseases like cancer. “However, robots are unlikely to replace doctors. When we are sick or at the end of life, we value that human quality – compassion. AI is not going to replicate that any time soon.” AI could also help to tackle the looming crisis of climate
academic colleagues will tell you we are at the peak of a similar hype curve. “Generative AI is probably not as good as a lot of people think it is and it is not ethically black or white. It’s important to have a more balanced view.” “It comes back to the golden rule of AI: if you put garbage in, you get garbage out.” So, the likelihood is that AI is neither our saviour nor the sword of Damocles hanging over us. It will have a significant impact on the way we work, how we live, and the healthcare we receive. But we have yet to fully understand the consequences. Research, like that being conducted at WBS, will be crucial to better understand the opportunities, the risks, and the nuances associated with AI and to help regulators harness it for greater good.
TO THE CORE
change. Scientists have warned that emissions must be almost halved by 2030 to avoid the worst effects of global warming. One hope is that activist investors can use AI to identify companies with strong ESG goals, helping them exert more pressure on firms to prioritise environmental concerns. “The problem is it’s very difficult for AI to look at all the different aspects of ESG and decide whether a company ticks a single box,” said Dr Isabel Fischer, Reader in Information Systems at WBS. “It’s also difficult for AI to detect greenwashing. If a firm claims it is delivering on a green agenda, it will put certain things in place that appear to be environmentally friendly, but a more robust check reveals things are more nuanced.” Dr Fischer, who teaches digital leadership and innovation, has developed a teaching case on Rho AI, a firm that has moved from the broad search terms requested by its clients to focus on more specific datasets such as carbon footprint, which produce narrower, but more reliable results. “There were really high
1. AI will create a demand for higher skills. Workers with the necessary skills will benefit. Those without could be forced into lower-paid jobs that are not yet automated. 2. Robots are more likely to replace human labour in countries that fail to invest in innovation and infrastructure. 3. Companies that train, empower, and consult with staff are more likely to use AI to complement workers, rather than making them redundant. 4. Those firms will be best placed to benefit from AI and protect themselves from the risks.
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Sustainable Development Goals
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