Over the last year or so, the rapid rise of generative AI technology has seen its swift adoption across an array of industries. However, this remarkable advancement has understandably been met with concerns, particularly regarding the potential for job losses – and even the obsolescence of entire trades.
This reaction is not new; it is part of a pattern of resistance to tech breakthroughs that can be traced back to the dawn of computing. For those concerned about the potential of AI, the good news is that the true power of AI is not that it will render the human element redundant. Instead, generative AI is creating fresh opportunities and widening the scope of participation. We need to shift from thinking about a world where AI competes with people and consider how AI can build us up instead.
One of the most compelling ways AI is set to broaden the horizons of work can be seen in how it already aids people with disabilities. The advancements in AI-assisted technology have made voice-to-text more adaptive than ever, meaning that even people with limited speech ability can prompt AI to fill in the gaps of their dictation – potentially even generating entire emails from a few words. For those with motor skill difficulties, AI can compensate control inputs; whether you're running a presentation or operating a machine. In Australia, 53% of people with disabilities are in the workforce, compared to 84% of people without a disability. By using AI to bridge gaps in accessibility, we can enable people with disabilities to re-enter or even join the workforce for the first time, thereby enriching the diversity and inclusivity of our teams.
The Australian Human Rights Commission lists discriminatory attitudes and behaviours during recruitment as a key barrier to working for those with disabilities. AI is poised to create avenues for those who are often overlooked in traditional hiring practices. In HR, legal, and compliance domains, cognitive biases can inadvertently influence decision-making processes – AI can be a powerful ally in combating these biases. By analyzing data without preconceived notions, AI positions all humans at the centre of the picture, not on the periphery.
While concerns regarding job streamlining due to AI do warrant consideration, our focus at Zeligate has been to use AI to hand time back to people by offering a helping hand on mundane and dreaded tasks. The vision is that this will create more time for contemplation, innovation, and human-centric tasks, while AI takes on repetitive and time-consuming chores. The concept of AI as a productivity enhancer is not about replacing humans but freeing them to focus on what truly matters—creative problem-solving, relationship building, and strategic thinking.
In recent years, the sudden need to adopt remote working conditions shattered physical barriers, making it possible for people with disabilities to participate in the workforce like never before. Working from home offers a flexible and accommodating environment that allows people to better manage their specific needs, whether it be physical accessibility, sensory sensitivities, or medical requirements. Technology played a massive role in this step forward in inclusivity, but we should see this shift as only the beginning. Thanks to AI and the normalisation of remote work, the modern ‘workplace’ has the potential to champion inclusivity in ways we never thought possible.
AI can level the playing field, especially for those who previously lacked the necessary tools to thrive in the modern workforce. As industries, we need to collectively move forward with humans at the forefront, leveraging AI not to replace but to amplify our capabilities. Rather than viewing AI as a threat to jobs, we should see it as a tool that empowers individuals to reach new heights.
As CEOs, leaders, and innovators, it is our responsibility to guide this technological transformation in a way that ensures the human element remains at the core of the workforce and that AI serves as a partner in our quest for progress and inclusivity. With the right approach, AI will not dehumanize work; instead, it will boost the power of people to achieve greater heights than ever before.
See how Zeligate is building out an AI workforce to boost the power of people by looking at our latest AI helper.