Artificial intelligence in HR

Viewed from a very high altitude, the aim is to create an intelligence that is similar or close to that of humans. But even the term intelligence is not clearly defined per se, so artificial intelligence cannot be. However, all applications, or let's say most of them, have one thing in common - the ability to learn. People often talk about deep learning or machine learning. This means that findings from brain research are used to simulate artificial neural networks. This approach is not actually new and was already being pursued in the 1980s. However, the very limited performance and speed of computers at the time made it impossible to achieve useful results. Today, computing capacity is virtually unlimited and the algorithms are able to fly. Self-learning algorithms are no longer programmed from A to Z, but learn from practice, just like children learn something. This comes very close to the way our brains work.

Data volumes too large for the human brain

Back in the 1950s, maths professor John McCarthy defined artificial intelligence as "the creation of a machine that behaves in a way that would be called intelligent if a human being behaved that way". The scientist Jerry Kaplan summarises artificial intelligence, or intelligence in general, as the ability to make rapid, reliable generalisations based on limited data.

Concrete examples of application scenarios for artificial intelligence can be found in all areas of life today: self-driving cars, diagnosis and treatment of diseases, speech and image recognition and much more. As the systems are able to process incredibly large amounts of data almost in real time, patterns and correlations can be recognised. In a way that no doctor, for example, could ever do, even if they have been recognised as an expert in their field for decades.

Many of us may have communicated with a computer at some point without realising it. Chatbots from service providers of all kinds that we talk to in order to discuss a technical problem or an unclear invoice. They are so clever that we often cannot immediately recognise whether we are dealing with a human or a machine.

Artificial intelligence in HR too?

Artificial intelligence is moving into HR and is not only leading to changes in certain HR processes, but in some cases also requires HR employees to have a completely new skill set. Recruitment is at the forefront of the processes affected by artificial intelligence, and at various levels.

Starting with the sourcing of potential candidates, AI can help to track them down, actively approach them and sound out their interest. All this before the human recruiter even comes into play. An intelligent chatbot then takes over a large part of the communication with the candidates and even arranges appointments. The next step is to evaluate and compare candidates. Artificial intelligence can collect, compare and summarise countless pieces of information about candidates in real time, recognise patterns and draw conclusions. Perhaps the algorithm realises that candidates with certain characteristics have never stayed with a company for more than two years?

With tools like these, HR not only saves a huge amount of time, but also makes better quality decisions. Because no human being can collect and analyse as much data as a computer in a reasonable amount of time. At the same time, human bias is reduced. The topic of "beyond bias" is becoming increasingly important in HR. This is because we humans are influenced by prejudices or stereotypes, especially in Recruitment, without even realising it. This is a real human "bug" that cannot be found among smart algorithms. For example, a job advert can be automatically checked for terms that primarily only appeal to women or men and offer the user alternative wording suggestions. In certain professions, such as temporary staff or seasonal workers, we can assume that in the not too distant future the computer will also make the decision whether to accept or reject a job rather than a human being.

The virtual friend and helper

Let's leave Recruitment and take a look at HR administration: communication between employees and HR, processing enquiries and applications. It is obvious that intelligent chatbots are on the rise here too. HR departments are therefore being expanded virtually - welcome to the computer!

Artificial intelligence does not stop at personnel development either. Thanks to artificial intelligence, the process of learning, which used to be highly organised in the past, is taking on a whole new dynamic. Instead of attending a course to learn how a new production machine works, the employee grabs a pair of augmented reality glasses and is guided through the work on the new machine. But it goes much further than that. Imagine we are about to complete a task and, without looking for it, an app or e-learning programme is suggested to us. Because a programme has determined that we apparently have a few knowledge gaps that are preventing us from performing our task optimally. In other words, little virtual helpers that think for us and make our everyday lives easier. Or the programme has determined that we will be faced with new tasks for which we are not yet optimally prepared with our existing skills set. Tasks that we may not even know about yet, but which are already looming on the data horizon.

Last but not least, artificial intelligence also has a wide range of applications in the area of people analytics. Gone are the days when HR managed countless reports and a flood of ad hoc reports and Excel analyses wafted through HR. No human HR controller can keep up with big data and intelligent algorithms. When companies purchased business intelligence solutions a few years ago and were delighted to finally be able to carry out data mining, the conclusions derived from them were heavily dependent on the creativity of the controller. Because if you look for gold in the wrong place, you can dig as deep as you like - you won't find anything. Intelligent algorithms can dig everywhere at the same time and bring hidden information to light in a fraction of the time.

Consequences

And what are the consequences of these technological upheavals for HR employees? Procuring intelligent Software is not enough. HR will have to acquire new skills in this context and completely new HR roles will emerge. Airbnb, for example, has a Head of Employee Experience, while other companies are creating a Head of Conversational Design. Based on the concept of customer experience, the aim here is to place employees and all their activities and actions at the centre and create a world in which all the information or services they need or want are available at all times. And all this in a consistently positive user experience, with chatbots and other intelligent helpers being used in particular.

Regardless of what the new roles are called, the aim is for HR to build up expertise in the field of artificial intelligence. On the one hand, this is relevant in order to tackle the digital transformation holistically in collaboration with IT and other areas of the company and to ensure that HR is not seen as a silo. But that's not all: HR needs to understand the technology in order to be able to use it optimally and not be dominated by it. Artificial intelligence will definitely not replace the HR department, but it will massively change the processes and activities of HR employees.

Quo vadis?

We are conscious or unconscious users of artificial intelligence not only in our everyday working lives, but also in our private lives. Be it in virtual dating sites that suggest the perfect partner for us or in the medical field, where algorithms for calculating the remaining lifespan of patients are in the starting blocks.

The topic of human enhancement is also becoming increasingly popular. Upgrading sick people with the help of Technology or so-called mind uploading, which gained notoriety through the series Black Mirror and is reminiscent of science fiction. Mind-reading computer systems are also already a reality and have been successfully tested on test subjects at Purdue University in Indiana, for example.

But every innovation, every scientific breakthrough since time immemorial has had its dark side and sometimes also a destructive potential. Many human fears are associated with artificial intelligence. Robots that are far superior to humans and may even rule over us. One hundred per cent transparency and permanent surveillance in the sense of "Big brother is watching you" or the education of a human elite who have access and the financial means to upgrade their mental and physical abilities, so to speak.

There is no going back and our limited human minds probably cannot even imagine the possibilities that artificial intelligence will actually open up. In the world of technologically unlimited possibilities, however, humans will still remain human and it is becoming apparent that the search for meaningful activity will increase. We will try to translate the artificial world into a human world, with heart and empathy. And this is precisely what will shape the role of HR when it comes to awakening the human element in organisations and people and strengthening the non-linearity of human thinking.