Artificial intelligence (or AI) has become indispensable in today's (knowledge) work. The developments of AI are happening so rapidly that from an organisational perspective, there is hardly any attention paid to the consequences AI has for employees' work and the effect these work practices have on AI. The Learning Community AI@Work aims to answer these quests.
Due to the digitization of work, organisations have increasingly started to collect data about their personnel, based on which applications have been developed. The latest major development is the emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI), which means complex algorithms are used to automate activities and support employees in decision-making. Especially the introduction of generative AI (such as "ChatGPT") can have significant consequences for the quality of work and ultimately also for employment.
Consequences
Previously, technology was mainly seen as threatening low-skilled employees in routine jobs. The breakthrough of (generative) AI mainly has consequences for highly educated knowledge workers and could also be a solution to increasing personnel shortages. However, we still know very little about the consequences of AI for the work of these knowledge workers and the organisation of their work. It is therefore of crucial importance to focus attention on how these AI technologies can be used safely and what the consequences are for work and the organisation of work. Not only to ensure that managers and policymakers can use these applications effectively but also that they are applied ethically and with respect for privacy and security requirements.
Therefore, this Learning Community focuses on the following: AI for work and work for AI.
- In what ways does AI change the work of (knowledge) workers and the organisation thereof?
- In what way do people work on the development of AI and how is this organised?
Science meets practice
AI@Work aims to find answers to these matters through collaboration between science and practice, where knowledge is exchanged and collaboration in research projects is undertaken – focusing on (but not limited to) education, healthcare, and safety.
Practitioners are experimenting a lot with AI and consider its consequences for work. From a scientific perspective, a lot of research has been conducted on AI. Now the task is to link these two activities and align practice with science and vice versa. From the scientific perspective, state-of-the-art knowledge and skills are offered to professionals, who can then apply this in their organisation. From this community, scientists get access to prominent organisations and the opportunity to conduct joint research and apply for funding, and professionals get access to state-of-the-art knowledge. For this purpose, meetings are organised every quarter.
Starting in 2024, we will organise regular sessions in which we, as science and practice, address different aspects of AI at work, combined with several (research) projects and assignments in which scientists and professionals collaborate – working towards an application for a joint research proposal.
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