The Blended Workforce: People, AI, & Automation

If you took a straw poll on automation in the workforce, two distinct sides would emerge.

Some would see the potential for artificial intelligence (AI) to transform industries, driving innovation and growth through smarter automation. Others would worry about its impact on the workforce, convinced that every process automated was another job lost.

Industry 4.0 is almost here, and it’s changing the way people live and work. From smart cities to intelligent robots, the rise of IoTconnected everything is helping people collect more data and fueling automation.

A similar thing happened during the Industrial Revolution. Despite initial skepticism, new technologies like the steam engine didn’t displace workers; instead, they fueled productivity, drove economic growth, and allowed people to focus on more strategic tasks.

For field service organizations, the challenge is figuring out how to leverage the speed and efficiency of AI-driven automation without neglecting the creativity and problem-solving abilities of people.

The most successful companies will be the ones that use automation to supplement their existing workforce, not replace them outright.