Can Enterprises use an AI assistant to empower and motivate their Employees?

Artificial intelligence is usually used together with other big terms like big data. But besides handling and making sense of huge amounts of data what else is AI technology capable of when it comes to the workspace?

Today, the world’s leading pioneers in AI and all major consulting agencies are confident that AI will not replace the human workforce but rather augment them. AI-based personal workspace assistants will take care of the most annoying and repetitive tasks. Transferring data to an Excel sheet and then calculating a formula will be a task of the past soon. AI assistants will also open new doors on how humans will interact with computers.  Instead of using a computer, we will collaborate with an AI. Our skills and the skills and strength of an AI will emerge.

A More Empathetic AI

In a recent project group, we asked ourselves the question if and how we can use AI technology to motivate and empower employees. How to make AI assistants more empathetic and human? And how can we redesign AI assistants to make them more empathetic?

It is not only possible but necessary for AI assistants to become more empathetic. But how should an AI be designed to help you in your daily life?

We want to be Happy (and more Productive)

Everyone wants to live a happier life. We all want to be more productive at work, we want to accomplish an endless to-do list, spend more quality time with our loved ones, sleep better, eat better, do more sports, write fewer emails, and endless more.

This list goes on … forever. How can an AI support us to achieve all of our wants and needs? Some people are paying ten of thousands of dollars to attend inspirational talks and seminars on how they can achieve their full potential.

Personal AI Coach

In the future, we will all have a personal AI coach which will help us to achieve all those things. Why not start in large organizations who have the biggest problems with unmotivated and unproductive employees?

Large organisations oftentimes struggle with unmotivated employees. Employees arrive at point 9:00 AM and they step into their car at exactly 4:59 PM – to be ready to leave the parking lot at exactly 5:00 AM. Organisations cannot blame their employees for their lack of motivation. Employees are overwhelmed with thousands of unimportant emails and requests from colleagues. They don’t see a real purpose in their work. The mission of the organisation is not clear enough. And usually there is no time to appreciate the work of every single employees.

Organizations cannot blame their employees for their lack of motivation. Employees are overwhelmed with thousands of unimportant emails and requests from colleagues. They don’t see a real purpose in their work. The mission of the organization is not clear enough. And usually, there is no time to appreciate the work of every single employee.

But how can an AI assistant help organisations and their employees?

AI in the Workspace

Prioritizing Tasks: Assistants can prioritise, delegate, and manage all tasks to achieve the longterm vision of an organisation. Instead of an endless to-do list, the employee get’s a list of four tasks ordered by importance and urgency.

Avoiding a lack of concentration: You AI assistant will detect when your concentration is waning. By observing your mouse movements, typing speed, and your overall work behaviour an AI assistant can propose exactly when to take a break, have a nap, or have a cup of coffee.

Avoiding Annoying Disruptions: So much valuable time is wasted within organisations through inefficient email communication. There are ten coworkers who want something from you – let it be a document or a short feedback. An enterprise assistant can work for you in the background. Background collaboration and communication avoids annoying disruptions which kill your productive flow.

Managing your Calendar: To make the most out of your day AI assistant can schedule your workday for you.

Appreciation: AI assistants can compare the work with the work of others and remind employees that they did a great job.

There are many ways, how AI can enhance our personal and work life. These are only a few examples. Especially when it comes to blocking out distractions and remaining employees about regular breaks can boost the productivity enormously. Combining it with a clearly prioritised to-do list it will unleash massive amounts of productivity in larger organisations.