The week's developments on automation & the workplace, explained | 25.03.24

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As AI continues to embed itself into our workplace, it begs the question on everyone’s minds: Can it make your CEO more relatable? Short answer, probably not… Whilst it can improve their speech writing and delivery, its inability to replicate the nuanced emotion makes it a pretty poor replacement. 

Meanwhile, the debate on remote work compensation shifts to the education sector, with a report advocating for an additional (but meagre 1.8%) pay increase for teachers. And bad news for tech job-seekers without AI skills, as lower salaries and few job opportunities loom in 2024.

Enjoy these stories and more — including how AI can empower the working class, how we can better implement D&I practices into the workplace, and a very gentle reminder that AI work isn't yours to claim  — in our CogX Must Reads.

Ps. We’ve just launched The CogX Transatlantic Accelerator; a joint campaign with the UK Government to connect the most innovative UK startups with US markets. If you are or know a UK startup they can apply for over $20k worth of support to attend, exhibit and network at CogX Festival in LA on 7th May here

CogX Must Reads

Top Stories

🤖 Can AI make your CEO more relatable? While AI holds the potential to enhance speech crafting and delivery, enabling CEOs to convey messages more effectively and efficiently, its lack of authentic understanding and emotional depth highlights the need for a ‘human touch’ in communication. 

📊 Report on D&I work practices recommends against a new inclusion scheme due to existing programs and the broad, subjective nature of inclusion, advocating instead for these efforts towards better workplace inclusion:

• An evidence tool for evaluating D&I practices to guide better company decisions.

• Clearer guidance on employment law related to inclusion practices.

• The Equality and Human Rights Commission should clarify D&I legal guidelines for employers.

• Collaboration between government and researchers to create a digital tool for assessing D&I efforts, modelled after the EEF's toolkit.

  
  

💼 How AI can empower the working class: By focusing on enhancing human skills rather than substituting them, policies and corporate strategies can help close the opportunity divide, revitalising the middle-class workforce for a more balanced labour market.

Future of the Office

📉 Tech job-seekers facing lower salaries and scarcer opportunities as the industry shifts towards AI. The US IT job market is projected to contract by 20- 30,000 positions in 2024, with layoffs across major companies, and jobs in entry-level IT and data-centre operations facing elimination.

🍎 Should teachers be compensated if they can’t work from home? Yes, according to this report that suggests giving teachers in England a pay bonus to balance the lack of remote work opportunities, proposing a "frontline workers pay premium" equivalent to a 1.8% pay rise.

AI & Automation

🤔 Employers call for help, as job applications increasingly use AI, leading to debates over authenticity and eroding individualism in the recruitment process. Adjustments should be made in hiring practices to mitigate AI's masking of candidates' true skills and personality. 

🇬🇧 Despite restrictions, over half of UK employees use AI tools like ChatGPT at work, valuing their productivity boost over employer bans. Workers risk confidentiality by sharing sensitive data with AI, underestimating how it might be used or exposed publicly. 

⚠️ Gentle reminder: AI work isn’t yours. Workplaces must ensure employees disclose AI-generated work to maintain transparency. As AI becomes integral to tasks, striking a balance between AI efficiency and human insight is essential for ethical integrity.

Productivity Boosters

 Check out this week's top AI tools to supercharge your productivity

	SellMeThisPen provides AI sales training, offering practice, feedback, and live call assistance — all aimed at enhancing sales performance. Key features:  AI roleplay for practising sales pitches Auto scorecards for instant performance feedback Real-time assistance on client calls                                     Pricing Model: Paid with Free Trial
	Beautiful.ai automates presentation creation with AI, offering consistent, branded design for striking slides with minimal effort. Key features:  AI slide formatting for design-conscious presentations Smart templates for quick start Total brand control for consistent branding                                             Pricing Model: Paid with Free Trial
	EverLearns is an AI-powered course generation tool that creates interactive educational courses quickly, from existing materials. Key features:  Course tailored to any topic, audience, and language. Auto lessons, quizzes, flashcards, and mind maps Generate a course in just five minutes.                                   Pricing Model: Paid with Free Trial

In case you missed it

Will Devin AI take your software job? Guess you’ll have to watch this video to find out:

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