ChatGPT is a phrase that conjures images of an overly-ambitious or lazy bureaucrat, but the reality is it may be the solution to unlocking productivity once and for all. Recent developments in artificial intelligence, and chatbot technology could revolutionize the workplace in ways we never thought possible.
Tom Fishburne’s recent cartoon represents this new reality. In it, two employees in their own cubicles displaying the potential of AI technology – the first employee effuses that AI can turn a single bullet point into a long email, while the other extols it for being able to take a long email and turn it into a single bullet point. There is truth in this joke – with our latest AI chatbot technology we can empower the least productive activists in the workplace.
There is a bigger truth to this. For decades, technology has been driving out labor which has been seen as a bad thing for businesses, but information technology has now shaped our workplaces and emboldened our employees.
Robert Solow wrote almost thirty years ago that when it comes to productivity statistics, we look nowhere but the computer. Luckily, this has not been the case. Computers made it easier for managers to create communications without having to call on a temp, and customer service was handled by offshore warehouses or self-service applications – both of which reduced the need for expensive human labor. Digital transformation, machine to machine (M2M) communication and other technologies were also meant to curb administrative overhead, but despite all that, modern productivity figures remain relatively sluggish.
Still, some of the savings created by digital technologies must have gone somewhere. It could be the case that the money saved has been absorbed by the rise of administrative work that has appeared in the last couple of decades. We could look at Human Resources for an example of this – something that was once just a payroll unit has now evolved into a much larger enterprise that controls employee health and behaviour.
Collection of data is part of modern corporate life, but this also adds to the number of redundant tasks that take up valuable staff resources. To address this issue, ChatGPT can be deployed to assist with heavy administrative tasks, freeing up employees for more productive work. The best part is the cost for the technology is well worth it – Andy Jassy recently pointed out that AI models can cost billions of dollars, but offer a way to generate profits for Silicon Valley’s technology firms.
So what we have here is an opportunity to improve productivity rates, while helping to create an exciting and thrilling technology that could alter the workplace forever. Therefore, while ChatGPT may seem like a lazy bureaucrat’s dream, it could soon be the answer to improving productivity in the workplace and finally validating the work of Silicon Valley’s venture capitalists and entrepreneurs. Along with this, it may also help to create a workplace where employees are freed from tedious and mundane tasks in order to focus on more productive and valuable work.
Amazon’s CEO, Andy Jassy, is at the forefront when it comes to ChatGPT as a viable and sustainable solution to improving productivity in the workplace. In addition, Christopher Snowden of the Institute of Economic Affairs also brings an informed perspective to the conversation, emphasizing how we’re able to remain productive despite the challenge of spending half our workday on compliance.
All in all, ChatGPT could provide an incredible and much-needed opportunity to the corporate world. Not only is it a way to stay current in popular technologies, but it also gives employees the freedom and space to do what they are best at and pursue more productive endeavours.
The company mentioned in this article is Amazon. Founded in 1994, they are one of the world’s largest e-commerce companies, with a physical presence in 22 countries. Amazon is a prime example of how chatbot technology is used in today’s world, employing over a million people. They are driving forward the concept of ‘automated customer service’, focused on responding to customer queries in an instant.
The person in this article is Christopher Snowden, an economist and the Managing Director of the Institute of Economic Affairs. He is an acclaimed scholar who, among many things, is dedicated to exploring the potential of artificial intelligence in the workplace. He has written several books and has given many talks on the potential of chatbot technology and its impact on the labor market. His insights into the current state of the workplace have led to important conversations about the role of technology in transforming and improving the corporate world.
