The week's developments on automation & the workplace, explained | 13.11.23

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In an experiment run by the Oxford Internet Institute, the skills and salaries of over 25,000 employees were analysed. They found that workers with AI skills were particularly valuable, and commanded salaries up to 40% higher than the others.

At the AI Safety Summit last week, billionaire tech entrepreneur Elon Musk surprised audiences with a controversial prediction: AI will eventually create a future where ‘no job is needed’.

While opinions among experts vary, the majority agree that AI is set to transform the future of work — just how remains the intriguing question.

Explore these topics — as well as the latest on why most companies plan to downsize their office space, and how GenAI will transform knowledge workers — in the CogX Must Reads. 

—Charlie & the Research & Intelligence team

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CogX Must Reads

Top Stories

Mastering AI could be a paycheck booster, according to Oxford 

Future AI adoption may not equate to widespread job loss, a new Oxford study suggests. Conversely, it found that AI proficiency is likely to boost UK workers' salaries by up to 40%. The results also showed that combining AI skills like machine learning with other talents greatly boosts their market value. (Fortune)

Elon Musk suggests AI could make jobs obsolete – is he right?

At last week’s AI Safety Summit, Elon Musk suggested that AI might one day make work obsolete. But while Musk's vision may seem farfetched, some experts worry about the impact AI automation could have on job markets. (HR Grapevine)

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Future of the Office

Shrinking offices or expanding horizons?

75% of companies plan to downsize their office space next year as they adapt to the new norm of hybrid work. Rather than giving workers a permanent desk, employers are shifting to more flexible approaches like hot-desking. (WorkLife News)

In the future of work, merit-based flexibility could reign supreme

With research backing the productivity benefits of a flexible hybrid work pattern, many businesses are now pivoting towards performance-driven flexibility models. This approach rewards employees based on their results, fostering a culture where productivity is tied to achievements, not office attendance. (Fortune)

AI & Automation

AI is a career magnet, says Indeed

A LinkedIn VP argues that a growing number of professionals are betting on AI skills as their ticket to future career security and success. With AI-related job posts drawing 17% more applications in 2023, she recommends companies highlight their AI strategies in job ads to attract top talent.  (LinkedIn)

How will GenAI transform knowledge work?

Generative AI promises to increase efficiency and productivity in knowledge work. However, its unregulated use in the workplace poses risks related to accuracy and misuse – especially when dealing with confidential company data. Here's the breakdown on how to benefit from the technology.  (HBR)

In case you missed it

Watch OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and CTO Mira Murati unpack AI's advancements and potential in the coming decades. For them, while AI has surpassed expectations for creativity, it still requires careful ethics management and regulation:

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