The European findings of a global study reveal that professionals believe technology and AI will generate more revenue for their organisation than human workers in just eight years’ time – by owning processes around revenue generation and increasing profitability, while people can focus on creative and strategic work.
The research, commissioned by Citrix, combined detailed scenario planning with a survey of 1,200 business leaders and employees across the UK, France, Germany and the Netherlands. The study examines alternative visions of the future of work and the changing relationship between people and technology.
The findings suggest a tech-first workplace may be closer than we think, and paint a positive picture of this near-future. Professionals broadly believe that human productivity will be boosted by tech tools and that a flourishing partnership between people and technology is on the horizon.
Could AI lead the way?
Four in five (81%) business leaders believe that by 2035 every organisation will have a CAI – a Chief Artificial Intelligence – which will work in a human machine team with the CEO to make business decisions.
Nearly four in five (77%) professionals believe that in 2035, AI technology investment will be the biggest driver of growth for their organisation. Surprisingly, around half (48%) of business leaders responding to the survey have taken this one step further, predicting that by the same timeframe, there may be no traditional leadership team at all, as AI could be ready to make most business decisions.
AI will also be a significant factor in upskilling human workers, according to 91% of business leaders. A similar number (85%) also believe AI will significantly speed up decision-making processes, making them more productive at work. This could be through AI gathering facts, processing large amounts of business performance data, or conducting initial analysis and presenting options for decision-makers to review and act upon more quickly.
“Rapid technology developments and a fast-shifting geopolitical landscape are reshaping the way we live and work. As intelligent technologies automate the burden of repetitive, task-based work, uniquely human skills like creativity and the ability to learn will drive future value,” Darren Fields, Regional Vice President, UK & Ireland, Citrix, said. “The future of work is the space to succeed, and our study shows that we are on the brink of some watershed moments in the evolving relationship between people and technology in the workplace.”
“As businesses strive to recover from the huge impacts of the crisis, changes are bound to happen quicker than they would have done otherwise – as we’ve seen. As businesses work to make efficiency savings and shore up success in an uncertain world, there is potential for them to succeed by cultivating a workforce that is empowered to adapt to changing conditions and to think, learn, create and innovate.”
