As artificial intelligence capabilities grow, even some managerial positions are at risk for total automation. But just how far can AI go in management? And can we expect it to replace our managers completely?

Well, not exactly. While there are nearly countless options for AI tech in business, it doesn’t yet cover all the bases of what makes a manager a manager. In 2018, Amazon abandoned development on a smart recruiting AI tool. Up until it was scrapped, this AI algorithm was considered the state of the art until it took a turn. As a learning machine, the AI was fed ten years worth of resumes to help identify patterns in successful hires; the only issue was this had been a predominantly male-dominated industry. The end result was a biased and sexist machine that began to favor male applicants over female applicants, even going so far as to filter out female names and applicants listing all-women colleges.

However, the AI excelled in identifying patterns, good fits for applicants and positions, and organizing piles and piles of resumes to make suggestions. But hiring is another story. Machines don’t have the emotional capacity, the human touch, to get a personal feel for a potential hire, that is best left up to talented and intuitive hiring managers. What we learn from the failed Amazon AI project is not the failings of AI, but rather how well it can work alongside a human manager. By picking up the slack of paperwork, managers can focus on the candidates themselves. Today, more than half of small business are already using tech help for hiring.

From the daily demands of office management to the hyper-specific work of project management, smart AI tools are stepping in to offer a helping robotic hand. More than four in five small businesses believe that they could benefit from better tech – ready to find the perfect AI fit for your business? Take a look at this infographic for more on the future of AI management, how it’s shifting the tools of the trade, and helping managers focus on leading their team.

Source: mbacentral