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Sachin Malik, CBO, Giga ML.
I see the recent concern over the rise of AI agents as reminiscent of past reactions during technological revolutions.
Change is difficult to accept, especially when it threatens one’s livelihood. AI, for instance, is increasingly capable of replacing multiple human agents in call centers. However, rather than fully displacing these workers, I believe there is potential to empower workers and even help them build their own companies.
I think what matters most is that we avoid fighting change and instead focus on how we adapt to it. History has taught us that jobs never disappear—only evolve. In fact, technological advancements often increase employment opportunities more than reduce them. AI can likewise reshape industries entirely.
Think of the agricultural revolution: In 1900, almost 40% of American workers were farmers; today, that number is less than 2%. Nevertheless, the overall agricultural market has increased exponentially with occupations such as tractor driver and combine operator, positions that were nonexistent a century ago.
Comparing Past Technological Eras With Today
For an example of how we have dealt with technology in the past, look no further than the Luddites, who are famous for destroying machines that they feared would make their skills useless. True, these fears were relevant in the immediate term, but the Industrial Revolution eventually created new industries and millions of jobs in manufacturing, logistics and other sectors.
Fast forward to the 20th century when computers became a reality; typists, clerks, general office work and other administrative roles became uncertain with automation replacing manual tasks. However, computers did not destroy jobs; they transformed them. This gave rise to whole industries such as software development, IT support, cybersecurity and digital marketing.
The same pattern holds true in the late 1990s through early 2000s, which witnessed a growth in e-commerce that threatened traditional brick-and-mortar retail employment. This led to an explosion in warehousing, transportation & logistics, digital marketing and customer service departments.
Emergence Of Lightweight AI Call Centers
I believe the high attrition rate within customer support (with some sources showing it to be more than 30%) can be largely attributed to the fact that people get bored with repetitive tasks. On top of this, small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) often find it difficult to justify a dedicated customer support team because of low call volumes.
This creates an opportunity for AI voice support agents to help. Nonetheless, implementation, execution and monitoring necessitate continued human involvement when it comes to these AI applications. Who better than former human support agents for this role? While AI performs the day-to-day tasks, human support agents would supervise their performance and intervene when needed.
The Next Wave Of Transformation: AI Agents
1. Expansion Of Market Reach
For instance, small firms can serve clients across time zones without having to employ full-time support staff within each region. Such an expansion creates a demand for specialized jobs in artificial intelligence (AI) training, maintenance and analytics.
The operational efficiency and lower costs from AI can help create more employment opportunities by driving industry growth and offering new entrepreneurial pathways for those replaced by machines. I see this dual advantage as transforming the sector.
Firms can upskill a displaced workforce through partnerships with AI certification programs, which can allow them to offer niche services like global language support or industry-specific support solutions.
Overall, even small businesses can manage the upfront costs of AI by adopting a phased approach to implementation. By starting with pilot projects and scaling up only after demonstrating a positive return on investment (ROI), you can balance initial expenses with long-term operational savings. The savings from quick wins can be further redeployed back into AI development.
2. Liberating People For Higher-Quality Work
As touched on earlier, AI robots are great for handling boring and repetitive tasks, thus leaving human beings to concentrate on creative, strategic or interpersonal aspects. Because of this change, there will be a need for new training programs and jobs.
To alleviate job displacement fears, I think leaders should emphasize AI’s role in enhancing productivity and how it allows them to focus on higher-value tasks. Businesses can foster lifelong learning among employees by offering access to AI training courses/programs, encouraging cross-functional collaboration and recognizing upskilling achievements.
3. Coming Up With New Types Of Workers
Just like computerization created IT roles, I see the advent of AI agents resulting in employment opportunities. Generally, you can look to areas such as training, maintenance and compliance, but here are some specific examples:
• AI training and maintenance. To be accurate and relevant at all times, AI systems must be constantly updated, tuned and monitored
• Ethics and compliance. Experts should guarantee that the actions taken by AI are ethical and abide by the regulations.
• Augmented roles. This involves hybrid positions where people work together with AI (such as AI-assisted doctors or lawyers).
When picking departments or roles, consider:
• The high-efficiency potential.
• The presence of highly repetitive tasks.
• The feasibility of implementing AI.
Throughout, you should make sure to monitor advancements in AI technology, regulations, industry applications and adoption rates to help identify in-demand roles when it comes to AI.
4. Boosting Entrepreneurship
Traditionally, the cost of setting up a call center is high and beyond the reach of first-time entrepreneurs. I expect the advent of AI agents to lower such entry barriers by reducing the need for extensive infrastructure. This shift mirrors the transformation in the telecom industry, where physical infrastructure was largely replaced by computers, enabling innovative new players to target niche markets with aggressive marketing strategies.
Along with partnering with AI providers, first-time entrepreneurs with limited expertise and stiff competition can stand out by using these tools to target niche markets and offer exceptional support.
A Net Positive Impact
Fears of AI replacing jobs echo past tech revolutions, but innovation often creates more opportunities than it destroys. I believe AI in customer support will boost efficiency, scalability and help create new industries. Overall, the focus should be on adaptation, fostering a future where humans and AI thrive together.
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