The week's developments on automation & the workplace, explained | 08.07.24

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This week, Greece made headlines by officially endorsing a six-day workweek, Wharton experts pumped the brakes on AI job takeover fears, and a new report reveals the UK's lag in AI skills. Plus, French startup Dust wants to put a custom AI assistant at every employee's fingertips.

Also in today's issue:

• UK still lags in AI skills

• Greece’s six-day work week

• Happy staff = success, new study says.

• Who are the AI power users, and how to become one?

• Why AI may fail to unlock the productivity puzzle

• Top 3 productivity tools of the week

P.S You are now able to sign up for the super early bird offer (75% off) to the CogX AI Summit in London on October 7th here.

Top Stories

🧠 UK still lags in AI skills: A new report reveals a gap in key areas like AI, placing the UK 45th out of 109 countries in global skill proficiency trends.  While this may sound like bad news, there's a positive trend: a surge in AI upskilling courses taken by UK learners.

🤖 Phew, we're not getting replaced by robots... Yet: A recent study by Wharton suggests that while AI, particularly generative AI, is getting smarter, it's not quite ready to steal your office chair. Results show companies are wary of replacing reliable employees with unreliable AI technology, especially when dealing with sensitive information or complex tasks.

💼 Greece’s six-day workweek: The country's become the first in Europe to officially endorse a six-day workweek, with the aim of boosting the economy by squeezing in those extra hours. But critics warn this measure could be a recipe for increased stress, absenteeism and ultimately, lower productivity.

👩🏻‍💼 Happy Staff = Success.  The new status symbol for companies might be a happy workforce. At least, that's the takeaway from a recent Microsoft study that throws a spotlight on how high-performing organisations are redefining success.

Prompt of the Day

Get AI to build a business plan

Example:

Imagine transforming my business, called EcoHomes, which offers Sustainable home building and renovation services to Environmentally-conscious homeowners and property developers, into a clear and concise business plan. This plan should include an executive summary, compelling value proposition, marketing and sales strategy, and a 12-month financial plan.

AI & Automation

👨🏻‍💻 Who are the AI power users, and how to become one? More companies are about to hit the gas on AI in the workplace, and a new breed of employee is leading the charge.  According to Microsoft and LinkedIn's 2024 Work Trend Index, the rise of the "AI power user" is shaking things up — and redefining what it takes to win in today's job market.

🤔 AI for everyone? French startup Dust is cooking up a way for companies to create AI assistants that connect with their data and documents. This allows companies to create custom assistants for different teams. For instance, a support team can create an assistant that answers questions based on the company's knowledge base, while an HR team can create an assistant that drafts job.

🎯 Why AI may fail to unlock the productivity puzzle: AI is everywhere these days, and its potential to revolutionise how we work is undeniable. But will it be the magic solution to the stagnant productivity growth plaguing many economies? A recent analysis by Reuters suggests we pump the brakes on the hype machine.

Productivity Boosters

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

	Copyright Check AI is a comprehensive audit tool that uses AI to scan social media accounts for unauthorised music usage, helping brands and legal teams avoid costly copyright infringement lawsuits.   Key Features: AI-powered copyright violation detection Scans social media profiles and posts Identifies unauthorised use of copyrighted music
	Omnifact is a privacy-first generative AI platform that empowers businesses to securely leverage AI for enhanced productivity, knowledge management, and innovation, with flexible deployment options and a choice of language models.   Key Features: Privacy-first generative AI platform Enhances productivity in the workplace Knowledge management platform
	Hamming Prompt Optimizer enhances task efficiency by leveraging Large Language Models to generate clear, structured prompts from basic task descriptions   Key Features: LLM-powered prompt optimization Converts basic task descriptions into structured prompts Enhances clarity and efficiency of task instructions

In case you missed it

An IMF study warns that generative AI could exacerbate wealth inequality and market concentration — but are governments ready to act swiftly enough?

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