One of the biggest obstacles to expanding artificial intelligence use in business is the tricky balance between incorporating AI tools and “achieving productive coexistence” with human talent, according to an Aug. 28 report from CompTIA, a tech industry nonprofit.
In a survey of more than 500 tech industry professionals, companies also cited issues such as higher tech infrastructure costs, cybersecurity and privacy.
To address these challenges, companies are looking closely at skills building as part of their strategy to invest in AI-related tools for customer relationship management, business productivity and HR systems.
“These tools are already integral parts of corporate workflow, and AI will become a powerful new part of a complex solution stack,” Seth Robinson, vice president of industry research for CompTIA, said in a statement. “In this scenario, a company will likely require a low degree of AI expertise across its entire workforce and a high degree of AI expertise in a few select areas.”
CompTIA created an AI framework with six areas for skills building as AI implementation grows:
- Cybersecurity, with AI capabilities to secure networks
- Auto coding, with AI coding programs alongside human engagement
- Architecting, where humans build AI networks
- Tech-adjacent work, where staff need to understand best practices for AI prompts
- Data analytics, which will continue to evolve alongside AI
- System operations, with enhancements in business process automation
To strike the balance between AI tools and human talent, L&D can lead the transformation by putting people first, according to Peter Hirst at the MIT Sloan School of Management. Since AI tools present opportunities for innovation but also major risks, it’s important for HR to ensure organizational capabilities and competencies through AI upskilling.
However, HR teams are often left out of AI plans, despite the need for upskilling and change management, according to a McLean & Co. report. Instead, HR leaders should be at the table to help develop strategic AI implementation plans that maximize ROI and mitigate harms to reputation, security and inclusivity, the report found.
Talent leaders are also grappling with uncertainty around AI use in 2024, particularly when it comes to redesigning work to incorporate AI and automation, according to a Mercer report. The gold standard C-suites are successfully embracing AI by prioritizing human-centric productivity, fostering trust, ensuring equitable work practices and leaning into a “digitally-infused future,” Mercer said.