As artificial intelligence (AI) makes machines capable of learning, they are able to perform an increasing number of tasks that were previously not possible. This, obviously, opens up a host of new possibilities for businesses that adopt it. However, it also means the job landscape will become a very different place.

Akesh Lalla, country manager, SAS South Africa, explains that AI presents enterprises with both an opportunity and a challenge. This is because the technology will transform their core processes and business models while paving the way for exciting shifts in occupations. Although jobs will inevitably be impacted by automation, he continues, new and evolved occupations will also be an outcome of implementing AI.

"Implementing AI is a useful tool for future-proofing the business, but the single biggest question businesses adopting this technology must ask themselves is: are you also future-proofing your employees who are, or will be, impacted by this technology? It is vital to clearly understand AI's impact on people, as well as what the business needs to do to retrain these people with new skills," he says.

"The reality is that as we move forward, employees need to become lifelong learners and embrace career flexibility, as humans will be needed more than ever to work with these smart machines to exploit what each other does best, while AI will assist mostly in process automation, cognitive insight and cognitive engagement. The major challenge is that there are certain organisations that are adopting AI with the mindset of using it solely for labour substitution and cost reduction. These companies will undoubtedly achieve some short-term gains in this manner, but those that instead seek to augment their current employees with AI, while teaching them new skills, will find themselves on the leading-edge of business and will thus gain far more in the longer term."

Even Gartner agrees. A recent survey undertaken by the organisation shows many employees expect AI to handle simple and routine tasks on their behalf, such as helping to reduce mistakes, locate information and sift through large volumes of data.

In general, Gartner expects AI to have a largely beneficial impact on the workplace, suggesting that AI creates more jobs than it eliminates, simply because AI will create vast efficiencies within the enterprise, opening up space for strategic business growth, which in turn allows for more people to be hired.

"It is worth noting that it is very important to have the HR department involved in the adoption process, as it will be up to HR to redesign job descriptions to take full advantage of both the company's technology and human capacities. Bearing in mind that AI can only do what it is trained to do, people still bring much more to the table. Creativity in design, empathy and emotion are all innate human traits and capabilities, which forward-thinking enterprises will leverage."

The critical message, adds Lalla, is that AI will not so much replace people as augment them, pointing out that 50 years ago, bookkeepers were expected to do their jobs essentially manually. The advent of spreadsheets didn't end the profession, all it did was make things simpler for the accountants. Accounting software also didn't eliminate the role, all it meant was that accountants now also required computer literacy skills to do their jobs.

"It is inevitable that specific jobs will be impacted more severely by AI, but this is where HR and the C-suite need to identify which jobs will be replaced by AI and provide skills and training to the people in these roles, to enable them to undertake new and more complex tasks within the business instead.

"In the end, in a world where everyone is realising the benefits of digital transformation – ultimately, AI adoption will be ubiquitous – your true competitive advantage is your people. This is why, if you truly want to future-proof your business, you will begin crafting a strategy to ensure they are all brought along on your digital journey, by teaching them the skills that will be needed to undertake the new jobs that will come to the fore once AI is deployed," he concludes.