As artificial intelligence in the workplace continues to trend, there has been concern whether hyper-intelligent tech will replace workers' jobs. But could those jobs include corner-office roles in the C-suite?
Forty-nine percent of CEOs say AI could effectively replace most or even all of their own roles, according to a survey of 1,600 full-time U.S. workers, including 800 C-suite executives and CEOs, from online education platform EdX. Seventy-nine percent fear that if they don't learn how to use AI they'll fall behind, and 47% admit that AI might even be a good thing for them.
"Fortunately for us, we are not going to have a boss that is an AI chatbot," says Andy Morgan, head of enterprise at EdX for business. "But it does change the role of CEO, which has traditionally had [leaders] very constrained."
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Typically, a CEO's day-to-day is focused on finding the highest impact areas to drive their companies forward, Morgan says. Adding more AI to the mix enables CEOs to automate administrative tasks and spend less time on dashboards and reporting and more time being present with employees and developing softer leadership skills.
In the short-term, this means that current CEOs will have to make it a priority to both embrace and understand the places in which they can actively start implementing AI in their own roles. In the long-term, it means that the workplace will have to completely redefine what the trajectory looks like for prospective executives, and the skills needed to ascend into those roles.
"The question becomes: How do we both empower future leaders with the training to harness AI in their trajectory while also coupling that with building the soft skills and leadership development programs at scale?" Morgan says. "Only then will they be able to leverage that productivity to be better leaders, whether that's someone making the leap from individual contributor to manager or a VP who aspires to be a CEO."
As it stands, 87% of the C-Suite say they're struggling to find talent with AI skills, according to EdX's survey, and as a result, 72% of executives believe their company should increase its investment in learning and development programs focused on AI over the next one to two years. Most leaders even believe that workers who are skilled at using AI should be paid more (82%) and promoted more often (74%).
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"It not only highlights the importance of understanding the technical components of AI sufficiently to be a strategic leader," Morgan says. "But it forces every single functional leader in any company to know enough about AI to effectively lead organizations with it."
First, companies will have to really prioritize AI in workplace education programs and upskilling and reskilling opportunities, according to Morgan. At EdX, they offer a course that not only teaches employees the fundamentals of AI, but has them engage with it in live lessons to understand practicality and where it fits in present and future business strategies. It's an investment any business could add to their existing learning and development opportunities.
"And as organizations evolve and we lean more on artificial intelligence for productivity gains, it will continue to place an emphasis on soft skills, managerial skills and leadership skills," Morgan says. "And that will put humans front and center."
