Allegis Group Study Outlines Status of HR-Related Artificial Intelligence Initiatives

AI Expected to Replace Nearly 10% of Jobs in 10 Years; Training, Screening, and Workforce Planning Anticipated to Benefit to Similar Degrees

The Allegis Group, the global leader in talent solutions, recently surveyed more than 300 human resources (HR) professionals, senior-manager level and above, who reported mixed feelings about AI and its impact on the future of work. Survey participants see AI as something to be excited about (21%) and as both disrupting and enabling (17%), yet a low number of HR professionals indicate that AI is not being adopted fast enough (8%). Additional findings indicated that a low number (9%) believe AI will displace most jobs in 10 years.

These findings, coupled with insight on AI’s implications for tomorrow’s talent and workforce strategies, are available in a new research report, “AI and the World of Work: Embracing the Promises and Realities.” Ready for download at https://www.allegisgroup.com/insights/AI, the paper offers background on the development of AI, its major players, and its influence on workers and businesses.

“We’re still in the early stages of understanding how AI will displace old jobs and create new ones. Without question, though, it will have a major impact on how companies compete for talent and get work done,” says Andy Hilger, president of the Allegis Group. “Innovations in AI will become more and more integral to business success, impacting strategic priorities, technology adoption, and, maybe most importantly, the overall evolution of the workforce. Our industry, as well as the clients and talent with whom we partner, needs to understand the implications and have a plan to capitalise on what will be a disruptive force.”

HR Professionals Take Stock of AI

When asked to identify areas of talent management that will benefit from AI, top responses from HR professionals surveyed included training talent (26%), screening talent (24%), and workforce planning (22%).

Regarding the skill types most susceptible to automation, HR professionals pointed to data collection/processing (36%), predictable, physical work (27%), analytical/quantitative skills (23%), and customer services/administration (22%).

The top roadblocks to adoption include budgets needed to upgrade or maintain AI (32%), a lack of people to build or manage AI (26%), and training the AI (24%).

Overall, findings indicate AI will not replace the need for talent professionals; instead, it will change the nature of what they need to do to succeed. “When you speak with a person, you trust that she is listening to you, learning from you, and sharing with you out of some level of genuine interest,” says Tanya Axenson, global head of human resources for the Allegis Group. “But will you fully trust a machine designed to calculate everything you say toward making a decision? Probably not. That’s why people will remain essential to the high-trust aspects of HR – closing deals, solving tough employee issues, building relationships, and creating the organisational strategy.”

“A variety of AI niche solutions are emerging in the talent tech market,” says Rachel Russell, head of corporate strategy for the Allegis Group. “Competitive advantage will come from adopting the right set of solutions to automate, augment and enhance the experience.”

Additional trends regarding the adoption of AI that expand to the market as a whole include:

• Expect Increased Demand for AI Skills: While AI is taking on many skills formerly attributed to humans, new jobs will emerge. Likely candidates include AI ethicists to manage the risks and liabilities associated with AI, as well as transparency requirements. Needs will also emerge for AI trainers, and individuals to support data science, the Internet of Things (IoT), as well as capabilities related to modelling, computational intelligence, machine learning, mathematics, psychology, linguistics, and neuroscience.
• Constraints Will Influence the Pace of Innovation: Machine learning-driven AI systems require human guidance and programming, and a shortage of skills to provide this guidance may hinder progress. Also, today’s AI systems require deep sets of data and information. While data is abundant, it is not always available in pools that can be used to support an AI application. Other constraints include cost, the need for buy-in and adoption, and regulation.
• New Challenges Will Influence AI’s Effectiveness: Can AI be prevented from exploiting vulnerabilities in existing data systems or stopped from acting on low-quality data? While these issues, coupled with the impact of failure, product liability, perpetual obsolescence, and malicious use are concerns, the research holds that most of these near-term issues will be solved or mitigated over time.

For those who lead and execute talent strategy, gaining an understanding of the forces of change is the first step in rising to the new demands of an AI-enabled workplace. Download the report today at https://www.allegisgroup.com/insights/AI.

About Allegis Group
The Allegis Group is the global leader in talent solutions, focused on working harder and caring more than any other provider. We’ll go further to understand the needs of our people – our clients, our candidates, and our employees – and to consistently deliver on our promise of an unsurpassed quality experience. That’s the Allegis Group difference, and it’s consistent across every Allegis Group company. With more than $11 billion in annual revenues and over 500 locations across the globe, our network provides businesses with a comprehensive suite of talent solutions – without sacrificing the niche expertise required to ensure a successful partnership. Our specialised group of companies includes: Aerotek; TEKsystems; Aston Carter; Allegis Global Solutions; Major, Lindsey & Africa; Allegis Partners; MarketSource; EASi; The Stamford Group; and GettingHired. Visit www.AllegisGroup.com to learn more.

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