“AI doesn’t have the depth to replace complex roles”

AI is “just another tool we use in our working lives”, like web browsers or computers, said Professor Michael Wooldridge of the University of Oxford, although he warned its impact on employment was already being seen.

In his opening address on the first day of this year’s CIPD Annual Conference and Exhibition, Wooldridge, director of basic AI research at the Alan Turing Institute, explored the impact of AI on the workplace, highlighting how it will impact specific roles while improving productivity for the majority. .

Wooldridge highlighted how generative AI has begun to impact jobs focused on routine content creation. For example, small business web copy, often created by gig economy workers, can now be created using artificial intelligence tools.

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“We are already seeing that those people whose role (…) is to create routine copies (…) are already suffering from this technology,” he said.

He explained that while AI can perform repetitive tasks, it does not have the creative depth to replace complex roles. Instead, it can help with more mundane tasks, allowing people to focus on those that require critical thinking and creativity.

Boosting Productivity with AI

Discussing productivity, Wooldridge noted that “vast numbers of people are employed in the global workforce, performing routine, knowledge-based activities.”

He noted that AI is excellent at summarizing, collating, translating and extracting information, which can help sectors struggling with productivity, particularly in the UK.

Wooldridge said that “the UK government is very excited about the possibility that generative AI can become an assistant.”

He suggested that generative AI could also act as an “assistant” in functions such as HR or even creative industries such as advertising. For example, he said, it could help streamline recruitment through artificial intelligence-powered “candidate shortlisting,” helping organizations save time, reduce costs and quickly find the best talent.

He explained to delegates that artificial intelligence could speed up the creative process in advertising, saying: “You can simply ask ChatGPT, ‘Give me five slogans for a banana-flavored milk drink’ and it will instantly come up with suggestions.

“A lot of these slogans are, frankly, going to be pretty pathetic, but then again, a lot of advertising slogans are, frankly, pretty pathetic.”

Future of AI

Looking ahead, Wooldridge discussed “multimodal” artificial intelligence, which can combine text, images, sound and video to create media tailored to individual interests.

Soon, he predicted, consumers will be able to create “anything imaginable” simply by describing it to an artificial intelligence system, starting with Star wars And Lord of the Rings Create completely unique TikTok-sized videos.

“Generative AI will do it for you,” he said, “it won’t be perfect (…) but it will be tailored specifically for you.”

At the same time, Wooldridge emphasized that robotic AI, especially in tasks that require physical dexterity, is still far from human-level capabilities. Recalling a military robotics competition in the US where robots struggled to open doors, he joked: “If you’re worried about a robot apocalypse, just close the door.”

Concluding his speech, Wooldridge said, “We are in a unique period…the first generation in human history to encounter powerful general purpose AI.”

While its full impact has yet to be realized, he said it was a “watershed moment in human history.”

It is critical to not “leave people behind”

In his opening address at the conference, Peter Cheese, chief executive of the CIPD, also noted that the impact of technology on the workplace is undeniable, with AI at the forefront of change.

“The reality is that technology has been impacting the way we work for some time, and certainly increasingly so,” Cheese said, emphasizing the urgency of adapting to these advances.

The potential of artificial intelligence to change work roles presents both an opportunity and a challenge, he added, emphasizing the role of HR professionals in ensuring these changes benefit people. “Our role as a profession is to help make sure that the jobs we create benefit people,” Cheese said.

A central component of this vision is to create workplaces that support well-being and promote a people-centred approach. “One of the really important outcomes of doing a good job is, of course, well-being… my job should be beneficial to me,” he said.

Cheese also emphasized the ethical responsibility of managing AI integration in the workplace: “How do we understand where and how these tools are used (…) that they are being used ethically?”

He concluded by reflecting on the broader responsibility to ensure that no one is left behind in this transformation: “If artificial intelligence and technology are going to impact jobs (…) we cannot leave people behind.”

Read the CIPD study on Quantifying the Impact of Generative AI on HR