AI and the Reinvention of Work

Artificial intelligence will fundamentally change our working world. We can already see what technology is capable of, but that is nothing compared to what we can expect in the future. Should we be afraid of these changes, or should we welcome them? Are we at the mercy of an unstoppable force? No, because, after all, we are the ones who have brought about this development. This book will help you evaluate your fears by putting the upcoming changes on a solid base. It shows where we have come from in order to understand where we are going to, or, in other words, where we should go in order to shape the future at our will. Using scenarios, Klaus Kornwachs examines the fields of work in which major AI-related changes can be expected and shows that major disruptions have already taken place in the past. You will find out what today’s developments mean and how to classify them without rushing to proclaim a new age. The book offers an outlook on possible future work environments. Work will probably consist of more creative, less routine-based activities. The current employer-employee relationship will change from working to rule to defining and completing tasks independently. This is not a prediction, but a spectrum of possibilities that could result from the technological developments. There is always more than one option. To find out what we want, it is worth looking at the meaning of work as part of human existence. There are many different views on this, all of which are presented in the book. After reading this book, some of the current discussions about the impact of AI on the working world will appear exaggerated to you. You will gain a better understanding of the limits of AI as well as our own limits. You will also be able to decide where AI can overcome those limits and where we need to set limits for ourselves.