Veronica Malone, Executive Chronicles | Artificial intelligence is shaping the way we live, work and play. In today’s connected office, we can already see the beginning of the future of AI. Smart technology is used for collecting vast quantities of data and searching for patterns that will boost productivity, while industrial robots are designed with linear or servo motors and delicate sensors that allow them to perform intricate functions at high speed. Here’s a closer look at these possibilities.
Human Resources
Traditionally, human resources personnel spend hour upon hour sourcing and scouring CVs. It’s perhaps no wonder that this is one of the first areas where AI is taking over. Software can now automatically scan resumes to find those most suitable for the company, narrowing down a wide range of candidates to only the most qualified. The software crunches data from a range of sources to headhunt. Programs can look through public records to find individuals with the job titles or professional posts that correlate most to the company seeking employees, suggesting matches.
Factory Floor Robots
With the correct type of electrical motor, industrial robots are capable of performing impossibly precise tasks on the factory floor. Servo motors, DC geared motors, linear and stepper motors are just a few examples, giving these mechanisms a highly specific level of arm control along with angular or linear movement capabilities. With the right design, robotics can significantly boost accuracy and speed in a factory setting, and we could see this same concept applied to stock rooms in a retail or commercial setting. If you’re considering automating your business for greater precision, RS Components offers a range of servo motors and other high-tech controllers.
Office Productivity
Another way that smart programs are transforming the office environment relates to what goes on at the desk. Artificial intelligence can help managers track worker productivity. For example, software like Veriato logs keystrokes on the computer, so that employee use is tracked and measured. Metadata is analysed in the program’s own server, and compared to baseline figures to determine if the employee is spending more time than usual on a certain website or attempting to access forbidden files. For businesses that deal with highly sensitive material, such as law firms, this type of program can help protect the company’s assets from malicious as well as unproductive behaviour.
Robotic Office Workers
If you combine the ideas of the industrial robots and programs that track productivity, you get the next wave of in-office machines. Fukoku Mutual Life Insurance in Japan has plans to replace over 30 employees with robots, which is what the workplace of the future may look like. These robots can interpret sets of data and assess risk the same way a human worker would, but at a much faster rate.
Growing Together
There are many exciting ways that artificial intelligence is being used in all facets of the commercial sector, from sourcing candidates to improving accuracy in product design. Yet the technology is still relatively new. While industrial robotics benefits from simple functions provided by rotating servo motors and digital controllers, assessing and replacing human behaviour in an office setting is more complex. AI uses data to make decisions, but it’s unclear whether these decisions are any better or worse than those a human manager would make. For this technology to grow, quality control and privacy issues must be addressed in the workplace.
There’s also the looming issue of AI technology eliminating jobs, seen both in factory floor robots and the insurance firm in Japan. Before this system can become widespread, governments will need to be ready to address this issue to avoid high unemployment levels and a resulting economic crisis. Ideally, humans and computers will be able to work together to create a more efficient workplace of the future.
