Does AI Pose a Significant Risk to Long-Term Job Security?

One of the most common concerns I hear expressed in the workplace today is that over whether or when Artificial Intelligence will begin to push people out of the workplace.  As technology advances at an ever-increasing rate, many people have begun to wonder, “Am I going to lose my job?  Will my job even exist in a decade or two?  What will I do then?”

Let me make clear upfront, that I am a self-realized and self-proclaimed technophobe. I am not someone that embraces change easily and I am certainly not a gadget-guy that has to have the latest, newest, coolest device.  With that understanding, I still contend that AI can’t ever replace everything “human” in the work world.

In risk management, AI will be an extremely valuable tool that can be utilized to identify potential problems, and even offer suggestions and strategies for how to mitigate or eliminate those risks, but it won’t ever be able to get a disengaged team member to care more, work harder (which could, in itself, help reduced risks), connect with stakeholders in a way that creates a collaborative environment, and ultimately will allow the maximum application of the information provided by the bots.

I believe one of the greatest risks in any organization, whether public or private, is an infection of apathy and disengagement.  If you and your teammates are not fully engaged in your job, it can lead to several negative outcomes.  From something as small as a lack of attention to detail and poor performance to something as catastrophic as loss of life.

Bring value every day!  That is advice I’ve given my young adult children many times in the last several years.  As we see more and more people “going through the motions,” it becomes obvious to me that an individual doesn’t have to try very hard to stand out from the crowd in a positive way these days.  Last week, as I was using AI (Chat GPT to be specific) to help me compose descriptive overviews of some of my modules, it never once did more than I asked it to.  It always gave me exactly what I asked for.  It always reacted to changes I made in request but wasn’t proactive to offer a solution to an unrealized/unidentified problem, and it didn’t celebrate with me once I had finished what I was working on.

Look for ways to connect with your immediate teammates, other internal customers, external customers/constituents and even vendors. Human interaction is one of the most compelling and impactful influences we can experience.  A computer can always produce a list of things that need to be done. It can tell me the best time to do those tasks.  It can likely determine the most efficient sequence in which to do them, but it cannot engage emotionally with someone.  It can’t demonstrate heartfelt empathy, care, and concern for others.  It can’t prompt healthy competition between friendly rivals, and it can’t show deep gratitude or sincere remorse that are often necessary in the normal course of doing business.  In short, the single best way for humans to remain relevant and necessary in the workplace is to always remember one simple sentence:  Everyday matters…so matter every day!