AI is a booming buzzword, but some team members might be apprehensive about the technology. Here’s how to ease its adoption in your workplace.

BY SARAH LYNCH , STAFF REPORTER@SARAHDLYNCH

For Inc.

Illustration: Getty Images

It’s time to address the robot in the room.

Research shows that artificial intelligence has the power to transform workplaces–in one recent study, generative A.I. boosted worker productivity by 14 percent. But this technology carries a stigma: A higher share of Americans think it will hurt workers more than it will help, according to a recent Pew Research Center report.

That’s why business leaders should introduce A.I. to employees strategically, training them on the technology’s use case, benefits, and limitations. This can ease workplace apprehension around the buzzy tech and enable its smooth adoption.

Tiffany Rafii, CEO of the New York-based communications and digital marketing agency UpSpring PR, says she didn’t want her team to feel like they were “cheating” if they started testing A.I. tools at work–so during a recent town hall, she encouraged her company to embrace the technology. “We need to understand the way these tools are integrated in our own systems and processes and how our clients can see value from them, from the perspective of being a valuable agency,” she says. “I think closing the door on [A.I.] would be naive.”

Several leaders who spoke with Inc. said that having open and constructive conversations with employees about A.I. can set forth a productive path to start incorporating the technology into everyday workflow. Here’s how to introduce it to your team.

 

 

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