Artificial intelligence in the workplace – A double-edged sword

UTA WILKENS

Keywords: artificial intelligence, competence, individual intelligence, learning theory, machine learning, organizational learning, socio-technical system, workplace

ABSTRACT

Purpose: The aim of the paper is to outline how artificial intelligence (AI) can augment learning process in the workplace and where there are limitations.

Methodology/approach: aThe paper is a theoretical based outline with reference to individual and organizational learning theory which are related to machine learning methods as they are currently in use in the workplace. Based on these theoretical insights the paper presents a qualitative evaluation of the augmentation potential of AI to assist individual and organizational learning in the workplace.

Findings: The core outcome is that there is an augmentation potential of AI to enhance individual learning and development in the workplace which however should not be overestimated. AI has a complementarity to individual intelligence which can lead to an advancement especially in quality, accuracy and precision. Moreover, AI has a potential to support individual competence development and organizational learning processes. However, a further outcome is that AI in the workplace is a double-edged sword as it easily shows reinforcement effects in individual and organizational learning which have a backside of unintended effects.

Practical implications: The practical implication is that it is a matter of socio-technical job design to integrate AI in the workplace in a valuable manner. There is a need to keep the human-in-the-loop and to complement AI-based learning approaches with non-AI counterparts in order to reach augmentation.

Originality/value: The paper faces workplace learning from an interdisciplinary perspective and bridges insights from learning theory with methods from the machine learning community. It directs the social science discourse on AI which is often on macro level to the meso level of the workplace and related issues for job design and therefore provides a complementary perspective.