Cambridge University’s Christian Steinruecken on how AI will reshape HR’s role
Let’s try some word association. Think about ‘artificial intelligence’ (AI). What springs to mind? Blade Runner’s replicants? Terminator’s Skynet? We’re much more likely to see AI in other – less humanoid – forms, says Christian Steinruecken, who has a PhD in machine learning and AI from the University of Cambridge. He explains how AI will revolutionise the world – but not in the way predicted by science fiction movies.
What’s the difference between AI and machine learning?
AI is an umbrella term for machines that display intelligent behaviour. Machine learning is more specifically the study and construction of self-learning algorithms – computer programs that learn from data – and it’s probably the most successful subset of AI. Traditional computer programs will typically contain precise rules on how to solve a given task, and these rules were created by human programmers. Machine learning programs, by contrast, are designed to ‘find their own rules’ to solve a given task by learning from examples. The goal is to create algorithms whose learned knowledge generalises to examples that haven’t been seen during training.
Given machine learning’s potential, which industries might we see most affected by its growth?
Machine learning is likely to bring many benefits to society, and has the potential to accelerate progress across many industries. It is already changing the way we live and work, but not all changes will be comfortable at first.
For example, machines might increasingly displace human labour, even in sectors where automation wasn’t previously thought possible. Industries that will likely see disruption of this kind include manufacturing, transport, finance, insurance, science and even recruiting. Any industry that relies on human employees where machines could do a better job is naturally affected; employers may face difficult ethical choices about whether to replace a number of human staff with machines, or risk being displaced by a competing business.
Transport and taxi firms are interesting examples. Self-driving vehicles may end up being easier and cheaper to deploy than those with human drivers. They might also be more reliant, efficient, flexible and easier to track. But self-driving vehicles need to solve a variety of difficult tasks and make autonomous decisions, and these come with significant technical, ethical and legal challenges. It’s important to get it right.
Will we see HR’s role change in response to AI’s growth?
Any profession that directly involves managing people won’t see drastic changes for now – and HR professionals will certainly continue to be needed. HR is a discipline that always has to respond strategically to disruptive changes, and that includes recognising situations that work better with technology than with humans. If the goal is to hire a team to build a software solution, for example, one of the important HR questions might be whether to hire a computer scientist or machine learner. The answer may well be ‘both’.
Machine learning can also assist the HR department. For example, it’s possible to pre-screen job applicants with technology that automatically reviews CVs or scores application materials. Intelligent algorithms can help to find interesting or skilled individuals by crawling information that’s publicly accessible over the internet, or they can recommend what salaries or bonuses to offer. Machine learning can also be used to track the performance or happiness of employees, and identify problems before anyone else notices them. These are really useful tools that will enhance how we manage people.
Christian Steinruecken is one of the keynote speakers at HR360 on 28-29 June in Vienna. People Management readers can save 15 per cent by using the code PMM15. View the agenda at bit.ly/2ngfL96