WHY PEOPLE AND ROBOTS WILL MARCH INTO THE FUTURE HAND IN METAL HAND
Ibrahim Nassir, du’s human capital supremo, explains why automated workers are nothing to fear
The rapid and accelerating evolution of technology is already having a huge impact on most people’s lives and that is set only to increase. Here, Ibrahim Nassir, a senior executive at the telecoms du, talks to
The National about the issues involved and how they may affect this region.
Q What will the impact of new technologies be on economies?
A The future of the workplace is drastically transforming. We are seeing that connectivity and ICT solutions are a major component bringing about this transformation, which is being driven by connected work spaces, translating into a nimble and agile workforce driving productivity and efficiency. Work spaces of today have also increased in sophistication in regards to storage, security, self-service and collaborative work streams, all of which are key examples of where this change is happening. A key example of artificial intelligence is digital assistance, which will become another key area contributing to an enhanced working environment. When it comes to an economic impact, virtualisation, robotics and artificial intelligence will change the face of brick-and-mortar businesses, and as a result will give rise to the new digital business models. This will not only bring enhanced services and solutions but it will shape the way experiences are also delivered, ushering in a profound economic impact.
When will the technology be intelligent enough to replace white-collar workers?
The fact is that technology and the workforce have to co-exist. It is also imperative that we address larger issues examining how technology will displace various skill sets. In particular, this is something that governments, industries, academia and citizens need to focus on when creating sustainable models to upskill and propagate new work streams that will define the future.
Some people are set to be replaced by technology – how do you deal with the rise of unemployment that will inevitably cause?
Even at the stage of development we are at now, technology will not replace humans – the bigger question is whether we will we see a larger displacement of the workforce. Technologies such as driverless cars create a certain perception of workplace displacement when it comes to the labour force of the future. Vested stakeholders should actively look at developing sustainable models to upskill and generate new forms of work streams. Technology will always co-exist with human workforces; one really cannot do without the other.
How well placed is the region in implementing these new technologies?
The Middle East has tremendous potential and we will see a semantic shift in the adoption of robotics, virtualisation and artificial intelligence. Currently, the UAE is conducting trials that will shape and define the future of citizens and businesses in this country. However, when any new technology is implemented it needs to be commercially viable, sustainable and, most importantly, it needs a mature ecosystem to form the bedrock for any effective implementation. With this approach, active deployment of such new technologies can happen on a vast scale. The region and the UAE are very well positioned in realising such forward-thinking ideas and technologies.
What are the challenges? The ecosystem of the UAE and across the region still has a long way to go and is constantly developing. When it comes to implementing such new technologies, a mature ecosystem is required for technologies to be implemented into workplaces and society successfully. Other challenges organisations may face when trying to implement robotics, virtualisation and artificial intelligence will include questions on whether these technologies are commercially viable and sustainable for the organisation in the long term.
Virtualisation, robotics and artificial intelligence will change the face of brick-and-mortar businesses