With the rapid advancement of intelligent technologies, my job is changing, and so is yours.
In his book, Human + Machine, Accenture CTO Paul Daugherty explains how intelligent machines like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are increasingly augmenting the work we do, thereby altering the nature of all types of work regardless of whether you are a hairdresser, a bookkeeper or a computer programmer.
And it’s not just a big thunderclap change on a horizon five years from now; we’re experiencing micro shifts every day that are fundamentally changing the way we work in the future. And my job—and yours—is to get ready.
It can sound anxiety-provoking to hear about machines entering the workforce, but there is no cause for chest-tightening. As it turns out, as jobs become augmented by technologies, the uniquely human skills are increasing in importance. Our human advantage is to think creatively; to perceive emotions and empathetically experience the world around us; and to work out complex situations with reasoning and logic. As machines do what they do best—automate the rote and the mundane and increase efficiency—we too have to hone these innately human skills to solve big future challenges.
This means we have to up our learning game.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that our traditional education approaches aren’t designed to target human skill development like creativity, sensory perception, complex reasoning, and socio-emotional intelligence. These skills are gained through practice and experience and take time to develop.
That’s why hands-on experience like apprenticeships, internships and job shadowing are so important for both youth and adults alike. There are many great examples all around us—programs like the Dallas Mayor’s Intern Fellows Program; Dallas Independent School District’s Pathways to Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) program; Dallas County Community College District’s Ascend Institute; and the PerScholas IT-Ready program. We can also do more to tap into the power of technologies like virtual and augmented reality to simulate real-world scenarios for training or AI to better customize learning.
And, this very much applies to corporate learning, although bosses tend to grossly underestimate their employees’ willingness to acquire relevant skills. While 65% of Dallas workers consider learning to work with AI important, only 3% of global executives said they had plans to significantly increase investment in training and reskilling programs.
For all of us to stay relevant, learning must be continuous, life-long and accessible. Our Accenture CEO, Julie Sweet, has modeled this very well. She sets a quarterly curriculum and regularly schedules time to immerse herself in emerging technologies for herself, and moreover, she shares her learning agenda with our people to encourage them to do same. Following suit, I made space to learn more about storytelling and design thinking this year—feeding my own abilities to think creatively and from a human-centered-design perspective. Gone are the days senior leaders could rely on their well-honed instincts and experience; the unprecedented pace of change demands that we all constantly update our knowledge and gain new skills.
When I imagine what my children will do in the future, I can’t fathom the jobs they’ll have. The work they’ll be doing in our digital economy are only ideas in the ether today. But one thing is clear; they’ll be playing to their human strengths as they work alongside intelligent technologies as coworkers, collaborators and advisors.
Jorge Corral leads the Dallas office of Accenture and focuses on bringing innovation to clients, attracting top talent and strengthening the company’s impact in the North Texas community.
