NEWS FROM THE FUTURE: Who is really doing your job?

Futureworld brings you Mindbullets: News from the Future, to spark thinking about leadership, innovation and digital disruption. These fictitious scenarios aim to challenge conventional mindsets and promote understanding of the future context for business. 

Dateline: 12 January 2025

In a revealing study published today, scientists have discovered that the average worker is only doing about 40% of their job, with most tasks being completed by free AI services. This news has sent shock waves through the workforce, with many questioning their worth and value in the job market.

According to the study, the surreptitious use of AI has skyrocketed in the past few years, with more and more knowledge workers turning to AI chatbots to ease their workload and boost productivity. While this has led to better performance, it has also raised concerns about the role of human workers in a world where machines can do their jobs just as well, if not better.

“We were really surprised by the results of this study,” said lead researcher Dr Avery Wong. “We knew that AI was being used privately in the workplace, but we had no idea that it had reached such a level. It raises some important questions about the future of work and the value of human labour.”

Despite inner doubts, many workers are overjoyed about being able to offload a significant portion of their job onto AI. “I was always worried about burnout and poor performance reviews,” said “Lucy D’, preferring to remain anonymous, “but now that I have an efficient ‘assistant’, I feel much less anxious. Plus, I can finally take a long lunch break without feeling guilty. And anyway, it’s just a tool, like email.”

As for employers, they are turning a blind eye to unofficial use of AI bots. “We’re looking for outcomes, not time on the job,” said CEO Jack Watson. “If our team can get the same amount of work done in less time, that means more profits for us. It’s a win-win situation.”

Are you still doing most of your own job? Perhaps it’s time to put AI to work! /First published on Mindbullets 12 January 2023

Taking the work out of jobs
And the busyness out of business

Dateline: 1 May 2029

It’s almost amusing to think that, just over a decade ago, people were worried that automation would kill off jobs, and leave workers destitute. At the same time, tycoons like Jack Ma were supporting the “996” work ethic of ambitious young Chinese workers; that’s where you work from 9am to 9pm, 6 days a week.

But then it dawned on management and staff alike that you can get more out of your talented employees with goal-directed work, with more time to reflect and refresh, than an exhausting schedule that often leads to burnout.

The tipping point was reached with automation; robots and smart programs can do the drudge work, leaving company members free to follow more challenging ventures. Everybody wins, or they should.

Which is not to say the transition was painless. Many older staff were not keen to change careers and learn new tricks; often disgruntled, they shuffled off into early retirement. By the same token, young graduates found there were no jobs waiting for them, and they were forced into entrepreneurship to make ends meet.

But in the middle, productivity soared, as shorter work weeks promoted creative thinking, and automation became reliable and accepted as the norm. With more leisure time and breathing space, purpose-driven employees can dramatically improve the innovation culture in a company.

Now company members at all levels are realising that work is not equal to jobs, and that being busy is not necessarily the key to good business. Finding and delivering value to customers is where real success in business lies, and the work necessary to achieve that can mostly be outsourced to machines.

That’s what robots are for — to take the work out of jobs! /First published on Mindbullets 25 April 2019

• Despite appearances to the contrary, Futureworld cannot and does not predict the future. The Mindbullets scenarios are fictitious and designed purely to explore possible futures, and challenge and stimulate strategic saying.