There is still considerable discussion about the things artificial intelligence can and cannot do. While there is no doubt that AI can drive the automation of the most mundane tasks in the enterprise and will be able to do a lot more in the future, it is still unclear as to whether it will be possible to replace a good employee. While there are many different characteristics that define a good employee, one of the most important is engagement, or the emotional commitment the employee has to the organization and its goals. This emotional commitment means engaged employees care about their work and their company. So, can an AI driven machine emulate that commitment?

There is still considerable discussion about the things artificial intelligence can and cannot do. While there is no doubt that AI can drive the automation of the most mundane tasks in the enterprise and will be able to do a lot more in the future, it is still unclear as to whether it will be possible to replace a good employee. While there are many different characteristics that define a good employee, one of the most important is engagement, or the emotional commitment the employee has to the organization and its goals. This emotional commitment means engaged employees care about their work and their company. So, can an AI driven machine emulate that commitment?

We would never allow a drug to be sold in the market without having gone through rigorous testing -- not even in the context of a health crisis like the coronavirus pandemic. Then why do we allow algorithms that can be just as damaging as a potent drug to be let loose into the world without having undergone similarly rigorous testing? At the moment, anyone can design an algorithm and use it to make important decisions about people -- whether they get a loan, or a job, or an apartment, or a prison sentence -- without any oversight or any kind of evidence-based requirement. The general population is being used as guinea pigs. Artificial intelligence is a predictive technology.