Much has been written about AI and its transformative power across multiple industries. As I write this blog post and think about what’s to come in 2025, I can’t help but wonder how people will continue to interact and adopt AI in the new year. Will AI prove to be the transformative force that everyone is talking about, or will we be left wanting more? AI’s potential to reshape our daily lives, workplaces, and society is immense.
In this post, I will share a forecast of my own (not powered by AI) and make some predictions about the year ahead. My perspective aims to provide a unique outlook on what lies ahead in the ever-evolving world of AI and how we are addressing those challenges at RTS.
Fear of Job Displacement
It’s no secret that technological changes typically shake up workplaces. Advancements in technology and automation reduce the need for manual, less specialized labor. This has been true in the past and it is true that going forward we will see jobs lost to technological advancements. Despite this, several jobs will also be enhanced because of the technology.
At RTS, we’re always thinking of ways to incorporate AI/ML algorithms to make our clients’ daily work easier, not redundant. An example of this is in our pricing tool, AcceleRate, where we developed a sophisticated algorithm that identifies saturated markets and separates them from markets with growth opportunity so that sales managers have data- driven guidelines to pursue new opportunities.
I strongly believe that empowering your employees is the best way to fight the fear of being displaced 2025 is the year to advocate for yourself and your peers and learn more about AI,which leads to my next point: companies need to invest in educating and upskilling their workforce.
The Need for Upskilling People
Whatever our feelings are about AI, the technology is here to stay; therefore, employees who are trained to leverage these tools can perform their tasks more efficiently and are better equipped to contribute to their organizations as their roles evolve into activities that require complex problem-solving and strategic thinking. Decision-making cannot be left to algorithms but to people with the ability to think critically.
In addition, companies that upskill and reskill their employees are better positioned to compete and drive economic growth. The time saved on efficiencies generated by AI can be better spent on fostering collaboration amongst teams and driving strategy and innovation.
In every project, we walk alongside our clients, and our team of experts is there to train them through their digital transformation journey. We walk the AI path with them. Moreover, our solutions are designed to encourage discussions, via our glass box approach, and critical thinking, all of which is to the ultimate benefit of our clients.
Humanization of AI
I’ve seen a lot of pushback from AI experts and practitioners to stop humanizing AI. I often see claims like “We love the word “agent”” in AI, but not every AI is an “agent.”And I get it. When you read about the evolution of AI and its 60 + years of existence, you can see that AI has been developed with multiple objectives in mind. From serving as a complete replication of human abilities to functioning as a tool to minimize manual errors and boost productivity, it is crucial to differentiate between having agency—autonomy, proactivity, and the ability to influence one’s actions—and simply performing tasks in response to prompts. This distinction is essential for addressing ethical concerns and managing expectations effectively.
My prediction is that the pushback will continue throughout 2025 as people are trying to separate the muddy from the good and highlight the advantages that AI is bringing to our daily lives and how we can learn to coexist with this technology.
In the meantime, at RTS we’re going full force and tapping into GenAI and exploring the full potential of AI assistants while being fully mindful of the advantages and limitations of the technology. Our “agents” are only as good as the data we feed them and while we’re expecting them to have a degree of autonomy, we also know that the decisions that the AI system we are developing are only applicable to specific situations. For this reason, we’re working closely with our clients to ensure our use cases encompass a wide range of situations that will alleviate manual tasks and open time for creativity and collaboration.
As we look ahead to 2025, the transformative power of AI remains undeniable. While concerns about job displacement and ethical considerations persist, the potential for enhanced roles and increased efficiency through upskilling offers a promising counterbalance. At RTS, we are committed to integrating AI in ways that support and elevate human work, emphasizing the importance of critical thinking and collaboration. By embracing AI responsibly and transparently, we can harness its potential for the better. Together with our clients, we aim to navigate the complexities of AI, fostering a future where technology and human ingenuity work hand in hand.