A lot has been said in recent months about ChatGPT, a machine-learning chatbot which analyses billions of sentences from the internet to generate human-like responses to user queries. It is clear that the potential for this technology, which is still in its infancy, is enormous. This tool puts the power of AI directly into the hands of everyday users and by last November, within the first two months of its launch, had already surpassed over 100 million users. This rate of growth is considered to be unprecedented. By comparison, it took Instagram more than two years to reach this figure.
Microsoft has invested greatly in OpenAI, the group behind ChatGPT, and its CEO and Chairman, Satya Nadella, has stated that we are witnessing “the emergence of a whole new set of technologies that will be revolutionary.” On 6 February 2023, Google announced a new chatbot called ‘Bard’ in a clear bid to compete with the success of ChatGPT. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has also predicted that this technology will dramatically change the way people source information online and has warned that “white-collar job losses will inevitably result from its use.”
Historically, technological innovations have always created a sense of excitement in some and fear in others. When it comes to the impact on jobs, white-collar workers have enjoyed a sense of security, while blue-collar jobs have always experienced the greatest impact through either significant change or simply becoming obsolete. Possibly for the first time, the tables have turned, and white-collar workers are looking at AI with a sense of trepidation.
AI applications such as ChatGPT can extend capabilities and improve productivity when augmented into existing jobs. For example, in journalism, AI can help condense, collate and even articulate whole articles in a matter of seconds. The implications on the workplace are that new jobs will be created, others transformed and possibly sooner than many expect, and some roles will disappear. Nothing new here when it comes to digital innovation, except that the impacted roles could primarily be of well-trained, digitally savvy and highly skilled persons. This is because such technology can facilitate creative tasks, complex problem-solving, drafting and even advising. By way of example, it is possible that a small team of software developers could be replaced by one experienced software developer whose role is augmented by AI applications.
In the short term, this technology will primarily enable workers to focus on value-adding tasks. Lawyers could save hours sifting through legal documents, and medical professionals could save critical time reviewing journals and patient files to identify and map possible treatment plans. HR professionals can ask AI applications to prepare interview questions, summarise CVs and draft job vacancies.
Supporting workers to keep up with the pace of change
Organisations have a key responsibility to support their workers to enhance their skills and help them keep up with today’s challenges and to remain relevant. Upskilling initiatives could empower employees with the tools to remain economically active even if their current positions disappear, in due course. This ripples into societal benefits by reducing inequality and creating greater social stability. Upskilling would also enable organisations to redirect resources to address skills gaps.
PwC’s Five Building Blocks of Upskilling
PwC has identified the following five building blocks of upskilling that organisations should consider when implementing upskilling initiatives in the current world of work.
- 1. Identify skills gaps and mismatches
- 2. Build a future-proof skills strategy
- 3. Lay the cultural foundation
- 4. Develop and implement upskilling
- 5. Evaluate return on investment
1. Identify skills gaps and mismatches
Assess the current environment and challenges of your organisation as every organisation is unique. Identify the size and nature of your organisation’s skills gaps and mismatches, where to start and what to prioritise.
2. Build a future-proof skills strategy
Build strategic plans to deal with the skills gaps which have the most impact on delivering business value by devising an upskilling strategy aligned with the organisational strategy. Analytic workforce planning tools can help estimate the impact of new technologies on the organisation, the savings that automation will generate, the types of new skills that will be needed, and the number of months or years that it will take for these changes to happen.
3. Lay the cultural foundation
The cultural impacts of upskilling might be less tangible, but they exist and must be considered nonetheless. Such a culture encourages learning, sharing of knowledge, applying new skills and improving performance through daily training. In this regard, culture should be used as the basis of an organisation’s upskilling efforts.
4. Develop and implement upskilling
To close the skills gap and/or mismatch identified in the previous stages, organisations need internally trained people to become as competent as external talent. Speed is also key for keeping up with the increasingly rapid pace of change – especially technological change.
5. Evaluate return on investment
Measure the return on investment from upskilling programmes to ensure the upskilling is fit for purpose and it delivers on what the organisation wants and needs. To achieve this step, organisations should measure return on learning investment.
