Brynjolfsson, along with researchers Danielle Li, and Lindsey Raymond, authored a study in which generative AI was used by over 5,000 customer support agents at a call center, and found that AI tools boosted workers productivity, reduced attrition, and were especially helpful for early-career workers. Through machine learning, the generative AI systems were able to use pattern recognition to identify successes and failures in customer service approaches. "It listened in on a whole bunch of transcripts and calls, and could see the patterns that turned out well the ones that didn't turn out well," says Brynjolfsson. "It captured that tacit knowledge and passed it on to the less experienced workers." Brynjolfsson said the AI system was able to recommend specific features to solve a customer's problems, or a tone of voice or phrasing that might work better. "Maybe no human had ever written down those rules before but the AI system, by looking at literally millions of transcripts, was able to pick up on these patterns." AI tools are likely going to impact tasks that are "routine, predictable, or standardized," according to Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, a professor of business psychology and author of I, Human: AI, Automation, and the Quest to Reclaim What Makes Us Unique. Though it might be tempting to brush off the sudden rise of AI tools as just a fad, Chamorro-Premuzic says it's important to become as familiar as possible with the tools, as they are likely to become ubiquitous. "These are tools that everybody will use, and if you're the only person not even trying it out or not using it, you might actually suffer," he says, comparing such resistance to deciding not to use Google's search engine.

There is too much internet and our attempts to keep up with the breakneck pace of, well, everything these days -- it is breaking our brains. Parsing through the deluge of inundating information hoisted up by algorithmic systems built to maximize engagement has trained us as slavering Pavlovian dogs to rely on snap judgements and gut feelings in our decision making and opinion formation rather than deliberation and introspection. Which is fine when you're deciding between Italian and Indian for dinner or are waffling on a new paint color for the hallway, but not when we're out here basing existential life choices on friggin' vibes. In his latest book, I, HUMAN: AI, Automation, and the Quest to Reclaim What Makes Us Unique, professor of business psychology and Chief Innovation Officer at ManpowerGroup, Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic explores the myriad ways that AI systems now govern our daily lives and interactions. From finding love to finding gainful employment to finding out the score of yesterday's game, AI has streamlined the information gathering process.

As the world recovers from the initial shock wave caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses are preparing for their transitions back to their physical workplaces. In most cases, they are opening up gradually, with an unprecedented focus on keeping workers safe as they return. To protect employees' health and well-being, organizations must systematically reengineer their workspaces. This may include reconfiguring offices, rearranging desks, changing people's shifts to minimize crowding, and allowing people to work remotely long term. Then there are the purely medical measures, such as regular temperature checks, the provision of face masks and other personal protective equipment, and even onsite doctors.

A few years ago, a young man named Kyle Behm took a leave from his studies at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. He was suffering from bipolar disorder and needed time to get treatment. A year and a half later, Kyle was healthy enough to return to his studies at a different university. Around that time, he learned from a friend about a part-time job. It was just a minimum-wage job at a Kroger supermarket, but it seemed like a sure thing. His friend, who was leaving the job, could vouch for him. For a high-achieving student like Kyle, the application looked like a formality. But Kyle didn't get called in for an interview. When he inquired, his friend explained to him that he had been "red-lighted" by the personality test he'd taken when he applied for the job. The test was part of an employee selection program developed by Kronos, a workforce management company based outside Boston.