How AI and Wearables are Transforming the Tech Workplace

Photo by Steve Johnson on Unsplash

I don’t know how you feel about the integration of AI in work, but I know it is worrying most developers.

That’s surprising. The introduction of new tools into a developer’s workflow is usually a positive experience. It all feels different this time. It feels like our days are numbered as developers and we are fearing the future.

So, let’s think about how we, the developers, can make this situation better for developers.

AI: A Double-Edged Sword

Damaging developers’ quality of life

AI technologies are negatively correlated with quality of life, a recent study reports.

It’s not just wearables. Robotics, ML, and all that cool stuff — they’re negative for software developers. We can argue that these are technologies that software developers should be interested in, so what is going on?

These technologies are becoming more pervasive and invasive. What is happening is workers fear the loss of their livelihoods to automation.

Furthermore, there is pressure from managers to implement AI and wearable tech without fully taking into account the impact on the workforce including employee morale and job security.

It isn’t always like this

You might think that this is just people being people and fearing the future. Surely laggards are simply complaining about needing to do some work to understand new paradigms, right?

Well, wrong! Quality of life is positively correlated with the frequency of interaction with ICT such as laptops, tablets, smartphones, and real-time messaging tools. Developers love using new tools and getting to grip with technology and this isn’t something that has changed with the advent of AI. I mean I would love to have a new machine and I don’t feel fear about using something new in my work.

Developers love new technology and machines, but the difference in AI technology is how it’s used and for what purpose it’s being used for.

Surely things can be better?

I can see people reacting to the AI revolution. I went for an interview recently, and they said they couldn’t use AI at work and were never likely to use it. They seemed to be averse to the possibility of using AI in their work and closed down the idea immediately.

That isn’t how it should be. Developers are working hard to get everything done in the limited time of their working day. 

AI is a tool they can use to increase their quality and speed. I think developers are happy to use whatever is available if they get a little help in using the technology.

So here are some ways we can ease the introduction of AI into software developers' workflows.

Training

A simple answer to this fear of new technology is to train developers to use it. We could bridge the gap between current skills and those that are needed to use these technologies to advance our code. Imagine that we could develop a bridge from the current situation to a better future.

Wouldn’t that be nice?

AI and Work Environment

AI will likely change programming for both the better and worse. We might need organizational changes to speed the adoption of AI. We might need to decide at an organizational level whether the use of this technology is good or bad.

At least some thought needs to go into the adoption of these new technologies.

The Working from Home Environment

People are concerned that wearable technology might mean employers track our every movement. It’s like a Black Mirror episode where walking your dog during the day results in you being fired.

In this situation how are you going to have interviews for your next job while working from home?

We need to make sure that employers’ attitudes are aligned with employees and that new technology is only used for “the right reasons”. Now if only we could figure out what those are…

Conclusion

I think a balanced approach must be possible. However the panic is real, and I guess that’s because IBM has never before said they intend to replace workers with tools. If you’re fearing for your job, you aren’t alone, and you aren’t wrong to do so.

The integration of new technology has become a double-edged sword let’s find a better way of coping with this, right?