ZDNET’s key takeaways:
- AI tools are taking over some mundane, narrow tasks for workers.
- Most respondents said AI could also help their work-life balance.
- The tech is raising concerns about burnout and other issues.
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Artificial intelligence is accelerating a cultural slide away from in-office work, according to a new study conducted by IT software company GoTo and market research firm Workplace Intelligence.
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Based on a survey of 2,500 workers (representing even samples of in-office, hybrid, and remote employees) across 10 countries, the study found that generative AI models, AI-powered workplace collaboration platforms, and other automated tools are making it easier for employees to work remotely. Just over half (51%) of respondents said that the technology “will eventually make physical offices obsolete,” according to a press release.
The majority of respondents also felt confident that the use of AI could improve their work-life balance (71%), allow them to work from anywhere without jeopardizing their current levels of productivity (66%), and allow them to provide better service to their customers while they work remotely (65%).
“AI is rapidly evolving from a helpful tool to a foundational force shaping the future of work,” GoTo CEO Rich Veldran said in a statement. “As these technologies mature, they’re breaking down barriers to more flexible ways of working while enhancing in-person collaboration where it’s most impactful.”
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Veldran and his company’s study suggest that employers’ embrace of AI tools can lead to a more effective and harmonious workplace. But at a time when many businesses are actively encouraging their employees to spend more time at the office following the COVID-19 pandemic, the survey results seem a bit contradictory: Employers are facing huge pressure to rapidly adopt AI tools, but the use of those tools could engender the belief among employees that a return to the office is based on an antiquated model of work.
How much these tools impact work also relies on how much of their potential is actually realized. Recent (and very hyped) releases like OpenAI’s ChatGPT Codex, GPT-5, and Study Mode have recieved mixed reviews at best.
Promises versus reality
The study also seems to vindicate some of the central marketing claims promoted by some leading tech developers, which promise that AI will boost employee productivity and — more importantly — well-being.
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In general, the idea is that the new wave of automation will liberate human workers from the boring and time-consuming tasks that have historically eaten up a significant chunk of each workday, thereby making it possible for us to focus on more fulfilling pursuits. And while some tech leaders admit that some jobs (or even entire categories of jobs) could disappear in the unfolding AI wave, they also try to quell any anxieties by predicting that new jobs will be created to replace those that have been lost, or that we’ll all soon be living in a world of such abundance and prosperity that work itself could become obsolete.
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Thus far, the reality has been much more complicated. Many organizations have begun to implement AI tools, such as agents, into their day-to-day operations, which has raised some thorny questions about the value of human agency in the workplace, the degree to which AI could be eroding critical thinking skills among human workers, and the connections between heavy use of the technology and employee burnout.
