How Artificial Intelligence Will Reshape Remote Work
Discover how AI is changing the way we work remotely. From automation to virtual collaboration, learn how it will reshape the future of work.
The work-from-home (WFH) concept has been around for many years. However, as the pandemic forced businesses to close, the world had no choice but to adapt to the reality of remote work on a bigger scale. The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) bloomed alongside it. So, what will be the role of AI in remote work?
With its cutting-edge technology, AI is revolutionizing companies as business leaders continue to integrate the WFH model for their employees. It’s seamlessly becoming a part of business operations and shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, the number of AI-based tools is increasing.
In this article, we’ll give a brief overview of what exactly is AI and how it helps the operational process of companies. Additionally, we’ll give you insights into how AI will reshape the lives of home-based workers. By the end of this, you’ll have a greater understanding of how you can integrate AI into a wide range of tasks to improve the work-from-home experience.
What Is Artificial Intelligence And What Is Its Role In Business?
The field of artificial intelligence involves developing intelligent machines that can think and behave like humans. Machine learning systems and algorithms enable AI to analyze data and make decisions based on what it gathers from previous interactions.
AI is revolutionizing the way businesses operate and interact with customers. It helps them make data-driven decisions and gain insights from large datasets. Plus, it enables companies to automate mundane tasks, develop smarter products, and improve customer experience.
In essence, AI is working together with humans to improve the bottom line of brands and stay competitive in an ever-evolving market. And with its rapid evolution, its role in business will only get bigger.
With that, let’s get into the specifics and find out how AI will reshape remote work.
10 Ways AI Is Transforming Remote Work
The integration of artificial intelligence in different facets of the world is simply astonishing. From self-driving vehicles to business process management, AI is everywhere. And it has trickled down into the lives of remote workers.
How? Well, let’s find out.
1. Increased Remote Opportunity
Not many people welcome the talk of AI as it slowly takes over some jobs from human workers. There’s some truth to that. For instance, instead of an assistant, AI-powered tools can now automatically schedule tasks.
However, AI has also created a wave of remote work opportunities, especially in the tech industry. In the past, a lot of remote job opportunities were tied to telecommuting. But that’s not the case now.
To apply the power of machine learning, humans work behind the scenes to make it function in the first place, including elite software developers and engineers.
Additionally, as AI continues to produce diverse data for companies, more remote employment opportunities are available for data scientists or those with relevant experience in statistical analysis. They help provide data-driven insights that can be integral for profit growth.
2. Streamline The Hiring Process
Due to the pandemic, there has been an increased demand for remote teams to be responsible for jobs that office workers typically do. And people all over the world responded to that demand.
So, how do you hire the best candidates to fill your positions?
This is when AI enters that chat. Using automated tools, employers can find candidates who best match job requirements, simplifying the hiring process. For instance, If someone applies for a job that's listed as "remote," they'll be screened by AI based on their resume and cover letter.
As an example of this, let’s say you’re looking for a remote web developer. With so many websites or platforms where you can find web developers, looking through them will be time-consuming and even expensive.
With the help of AI technology or software, you can list down the requirements or relevant experience you’re looking for, including:
-
Years of web development experience
-
Portfolio of previous web development projects
-
What programming language are they more adept in
It can detect any red flags that might indicate they aren't suited for the position because they wouldn't be able to meet the requirements you put in. That way, you won't waste time interviewing remote candidates who aren't qualified for your open positions or won’t be team players.
Moreover, it minimizes the risk of bias when looking at resumes. Thus, AI helps ensure that whoever will fill the position is the best one for the job and not the one who solely knows the HR manager.
3. Employer Performance Assessment
A major concern for companies using the WFH model is whether employees are performing their responsibilities and if the work quality will remain the same. Fortunately, AI can make it easier for companies to assess the performance of their remote workers.
One way AI makes this possible is by gathering data from multiple sources, including video, audio, and other employee communication channels. This data is then analyzed and used to create a detailed assessment of each employee's performance.
In addition, AI-based tools could be used to send alerts when an employee doesn't log into their workstation at the right time or doesn't complete tasks on time. This would allow managers to get involved before things get out of control. Thus, avoiding having to deal with any negative behavior issues later on down the road.
But that’s not all. There’s also AI time-tracking software like Timely that records data. A report can be generated that shows which desktop or web apps are used most of the time.
So if you’re a manager, you’ll know whether your remote team is doing their tasks during working hours. This is especially helpful since many remote workers use their time to browse through coupon shopping sites, stream movies, or watch TV shows while they’re on-the-clock.
With AI-driven tools, you can prevent remote teams from abusing their time and ensure they’re actually working on fulfilling their responsibilities instead. Some software even provides screenshots of the browsers.
4. Improve Admin Work Efficiency
Like normal office workers, remote-based employees also have plenty of administrative tasks to handle. In fact, there’s a specific remote job position that handles such tasks, and that is the virtual assistant (VA).
They’re tasked with administrative work like scheduling appointments, organizing documents and files, and responding to emails. These tasks can be time-consuming but also necessary for business operations.
So how can we make them less time-consuming? The answer: artificial intelligence.
For example, AI-powered tools for content creation help VAs and other remote workers to write emails instantaneously, including Jasper and Frase. There is also AI software that could help with appointments and calendar scheduling like Trevor AI.
5. Video Conferencing
If you're in the business of managing remote workers, you've likely experienced how difficult it can be to make sure everyone is on the same page. In fact, some believe that a lack of communication is one of the biggest problems with remote work.
That's where AI video conferencing comes in. By providing a platform where your employees can meet, talk, and collaborate in real time, your company can increase its productivity and efficiency in no time.
For instance, AI technology can assist with language translation or help connect people who have difficulty hearing. It can also help track movements to ensure all the meeting participants are in the frame. Plus, it can produce a transcript of the meeting summary or record the whole meeting.
But there’s more. AI features in video conferencing platforms allow for an engaging brainstorming session, thanks to virtual whiteboards. They let participants join the conversations by having the ability to integrate elements or shapes into the virtual whiteboard.
For instance, let’s say you’re just starting a cleaning business and you need to set up what cleaning services you can offer. You and your business partners can hop on a video conference and start brainstorming about services that can give you the most profit.
You and other participants can use the virtual whiteboard to write potential profit figures for each cleaning service and what resources need to be considered. AI allows you to make crucial business decisions without having to leave your home. This is especially important if you’re just starting your business and have no official office yet.
6. Troubleshooting
One of the biggest challenges for home-based workers is troubleshooting technical problems. There are many sorts of software and technology, and they can all be challenging to understand if you’re unfamiliar with them.
However, whether you're working on your own or with a team, it's important to solve problems quickly and efficiently. With AI, it's easier than ever before to find help without leaving your desk.
There are AI-based tools with troubleshooting technology like Dezide and many more. Some of them can help remote workers to fix common problems like connectivity issues or app crashes.
However, if the tech problems are bigger, IT support may be essential.
7. Learning And Development
For many home-based workers, learning and developing new skills is key to thriving in their job. It allows them to grow as professionals and advance their careers, but if they don't have access to a workplace that offers training opportunities, it's challenging for them to get the necessary skills.
Fortunately, artificial intelligence is a great tool to provide home-based employees with opportunities for learning. This means that regardless of where you live or what time zone you're in, you can access training programs that’ll allow you to improve your skills and continue growing into a more effective employee.
For example, if you’re a Shopify VA, you’ll need to constantly learn about the evolving platform, including the apps, software, and plugins that can be merged with your eCommerce store. That’s crucial if you want to advance or offer your VA services at a higher price. Constantly learning about the ins and outs of Shopify can put you at an advantage over other job seekers.
Some great examples of such platforms are Docebo and Absorb LMS. They both leverage AI or machine learning algorithms to provide a stable learning platform. There are many more programs integrated with AI features, you just have to find which suits you best.
8. Smart Project Management
When you use artificial intelligence in your project management software, you can do more than just keep track of your teams' workloads. You can use AI to help them optimize their workflows, too.
For instance, AI-powered project management tools take all the information it has about a team's past projects and use it to predict what resources they'll need for the next one. For instance, how long it will take them to complete their tasks, and whether they'll meet their deadlines.
Afterward, the information is presented in clear, easy-to-understand dashboards that managers can access at any time. Thus, they can make better decisions about staffing needs or resource allocation. Some examples of project management tools with AI features are
-
Tara,
-
Ayanza
-
Notion AI
-
Trello (Strategy-AI)
Let’s have a sample case, and say you have a new lingerie collection to launch. Product development can be time-consuming and will involve many people. The discussion will include the designers, production team, product manager, marketing team, and even the finance team. From the drawing to the actual creation, it’s going to be a grueling process and a lot of decision-making.
AI is not going to solve all of that magically but it’s going to make the process simpler. With its integration into project management tools, you can monitor every task without having to call for a meeting to get updates, which can be a waste of time if you’re going to do it for every task.
For example, if the designer has a drawing she wants your approval on, she can simply assign the task to you. So, while you review the design, she gets to work on other tasks.
You can also check which deadlines are near, what resources are needed, and identify the tasks that need priority. As such, the development of the new lingerie line for your brand won’t have to be extremely stressful with dozens of meetings.
9. Lessen Miscommunication
With the rise of remote work, it has become increasingly difficult to convey non-verbal cues and emotions when communicating with colleagues. AI can help bridge this gap by providing tools that can help remote workers better understand each other and reduce miscommunication.
For example, AI-powered tools like Grammarly, Quillbot, and Ginger can suggest the right tone, expressions, punctuations, or words to use when writing. As such, you won’t have to worry when writing emails or Slack messages if you’re getting your point across without being perceived as rude.
AI helps remote workers to work harmoniously together without having to communicate face-to-face. Plus, the feedback or suggestions are provided in real-time. So, you can let go of the habit of spending 15 minutes writing one email and checking if your tone won’t be misunderstood.
10. Customer Service Tasks
Remote workers can improve customer satisfaction by using artificial intelligence to respond to inquiries quickly and accurately. Thus, freeing up time for more complex customer service needs.
Customers with more serious concerns won’t have to wait for hours or days just to get a reply. That means there’s a higher chance that they’ll remain your customers instead of switching to a competitor.
There’s more. Before, some remote customer service teams had to be online 24/7. For instance, half would be put on the morning duty schedule, and the other half would be on night duty.
However, AI allows remote teams to stick to a normal 8-hour schedule with weekends off. A great example would be the AI chatbot of Green Supply, a face mask brand. Take a look at the image below to see it.
Green Supply’s chatbot can assist customers with different queries while agents are off-the-clock. The system informs the customers when human agents will return online but still engages with them by offering assistance. Essentially, the brand utilizes both AI and humans to deliver great customer service.
If you’re planning to employ your chatbot for your brand, you can have it set up any way you like it. For instance, let’s say you have a travel website. If a customer says she wants to go to Macau, your chatbot can give the customer a link that’ll take them to a blog post listing the most luxurious hotels in Macau.
With AI, customer service can still be 24/7 without overloading the remote teams. If the remote workers are happy with the work-life balance, they’re more likely to stay. Plus, AI can analyze customer data and provide insights into how customers interact with your services, helping you improve their future experiences.
Conclusion
Artificial intelligence is a hot topic nowadays, thanks to the increasing popularity of tools like ChatGPT. Its cutting-edge technology is utilized by companies, whether for their frontline teams or their home-based employees.
So, would it be easy to integrate AI into the WFH business model?
Well, if you have the right tools, the process would be easier. And here at Remote Tools, that’s what we can give you. Whether you’re looking for productivity tools or a remote whiteboard, you can find them here. Start browsing now and find the tools you need.
Author Bio
Burkhard Berger is the founder of Novum™. He helps innovative B2B companies implement revenue-driven SEO strategies to scale their organic traffic to 1,000,000+ visitors per month. Curious about what your true traffic potential is?
You can also visit this AI tools directory website to find out most useful AI tools.