We’ve all heard about AI replacing employees, but is there room for AI to also do the work of leaders? A new survey found that 66% of workers believe AI-led leadership in the workplace could make work more fair and efficient for everyone involved. AI management is a matter not often discussed, but the idea appears to have some support among the workforce. The proposition is a complex one and bound to ruffle some feathers, but there are some beneficial aspects of this change to consider as well.
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Are We Set to See AI Leadership Play a Role in the Workplace?
Employees who have been repeatedly reminded of the perks of AI and its advanced reasoning skills are now beginning to envision a bigger role for AI in guaranteeing workplace fairness. In tasks that require logic and reasoning, some believe that AI tools could offer a more unbiased opinion that relies on hard data. While the bias-free nature of AI is debatable, its constant presence within the worksphere does suggest that we could see more AI-management within organizations in the near future.
Resume Now’s RoboBossing Report recently found that 66% of the 900 surveyed American workers believe that AI-led management could make the workplace more fair and efficient. While earlier reports showed that workers were concerned about the unchecked use of AI in hiring and firing decisions, the new data suggests that 73% also believe that it would be acceptable to have AI participate in major company decisions like hiring, layoffs, and budgeting.
Why Do Some Believe That AI Leadership Could Improve Workplace Fairness?
Workers appear more inclined to believe that AI tools make fair, unbiased decisions based on the available information rather than allowing other external factors to influence them. The Resume Now survey found that around 55% believe that these artificial intelligence tools could make better promotion decisions compared to their human counterparts.
This ideology likely stems from the frustrations many employees have with regard to workplace politics and the inherent biases that persist within the space. Many of these factors are not openly discussed at work, but employees frequently witness attitudes that they believe unfairly affect their careers.
From more transparency in decision-making to operating with clear communication and clarity, there are many ways that AI-led management could help organizations thrive. Eliminating any subjective opinions and personal feelings is where employees expect AI to shine, but they aren’t fully convinced that this technology can work exclusively on its own to manage matters either.
Where Do Employees Draw the Line on AI-Led Management?
While there is a genuine belief that AI managers and leaders could be beneficial to the workforce, many also acknowledge that in matters that require empathy and connection, the human touch is essential. No less than 64% believe that motivating the teams to perform to their best is something that only human leaders can do, and 57% add that only humans can showcase sympathy and empathy when necessary.
These numbers indicate that employees aren’t necessarily pushing to have AI take the CEO chair at once. In their minds, there is room for a balance of human and AI leadership in the workplace to ensure that fairness, efficiency, and sincerity are provided in equal measure.
Do Employees Want AI Leaders?
No, not yet. Employees are starting to consider the perks of AI leadership in the workplace, just as employers are exploring the advantages of replacing workers with AI. Some of these plans may take shape in the future, but for the most part, human labor continues to lead organizations forward.
As people grow more comfortable with the concept of AI, we will see many new experiments with this technology emerge to present an alternative to the systems we have today. Trust in AI is growing, but there is a healthy share of worry and skepticism mixed in as well. AI tools are just human inventions after all, and as a result, they can be misused and weaponized with ease.
From AI digital employees to replacing HR with AI, there are a lot of ways that businesses have begun to test the limits of the technology. We could eventually see organizations eliminate the need for CEOs and other C-suite executives by placing AI tools at the head of a board of directors, but we’re still a while off from seeing this future take shape.
What do you think about the idea of AI leadership in the workplace? Would this be a step forward for fairness or only allow more bias to seep into the organization? Let us know what you think. Subscribe to The HR Digest for more insights on workplace trends, layoffs, and what to expect with the advent of AI.