As ChatGPT technology advances and makes its way into the workplace, employers are dealing with the challenge of establishing the proper policies and preparing their employees to use the technology.
George Westerman, senior lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management, the founder of the school’s Global Opportunity Initiative and co-author of the book Leading Digital: Turning Technology into Business Transformation talked about the skills organizations should emphasize for employees in order to adapt to AI. According to him, companies should focus on training their employees in basic understanding of the capabilities of AI, focusing more on the application of the technology rather than learning about how the technology works itself. He sees the need to improve the unique qualities of humans such as creativity, empathy and communication in order to make sure that the workers stay relevant and don’t get replaced by routine jobs. Additionally, he delves into the importance of AI literacy in order to evaluate information sources generated by AI and be aware of the potential threats.
George Westerman has also created a human skills matrix which outlines the do’s, leadings, mes and others of interpersonal skills. This matrix is made up of 41 different frameworks and has been created to ensure that the companies are training the right skills that won’t be replaced when automation takes over.
Finally, he stressed the importance of having a policy in place that not only outlines the potential dangers of AI, but also sets out the acceptable and unacceptable uses of the technology. He implies that it is best to come up with a basic policy at first instead of completely blocking the use of AI for fear that it will be used outside of protected spaces. As the company gets better with using AI, it is important to provide specific guidance and to help workers become familiar with what is possible during and after the transition period.
The company mentioned in the article is the MIT Sloan School of Management. Founded in 1914, it is a leading business school and part of renowned academic institution MIT. It has various focuses, such as technology, management, economics and more and offers various degrees for undergraduates and postgraduates.
George Westerman is the senior lecturer mentioned in the article. He is a research scientist at the MIT Center for Digital Business and Director of the MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy. His research is focused on the impact of technology and is co-author of Turning Technology into Business Transformation. Additionally, he is a co-founder of the Global Opportunity Initiative, which is committed to develop skills for the digital era.
