Matthew GriffinFounder, President and Futurist, 311 Institute
G7 · G20governments advised
850+keynotes
102countries
17codexes
Future of work sessions forPepsiCoWinchester CollegeUniversity of GreenwichDiscoverASM TechnologiesGovernment of Bahrain
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Martin and Serita from Unleashed invited Matthew to host their webinar on the Future of Work, a topic he described as more pertinent than ever as increasing levels of automation arrive.
He began with the future of the workplace which, thanks to COVID-19, is now anywhere, even for jobs long thought to be anchored to one physical location, such as construction work and surgery. He described how companies are building and embracing Virtual Reality head offices, and how Artificial Intelligence is becoming embedded across the employee lifecycle, from hiring to firing and everything in between.
"While automation is a threat, it's also arguably one of the greatest human opportunities we have ever seen as AI helps democratise access to expertise and skills and finally allows people's abilities and achievements to match their imagination."Matthew Griffin, Virtual, April 2021
Against all this change, and above the noise generated by the automation of almost everything, Matthew showed that while automation is a threat, it is also arguably one of the greatest human opportunities we have ever seen. AI is helping to democratise access to expertise and skills, finally allowing people's abilities and achievements to match their imagination.
He closed with an entrepreneur's view: every problem and every threat is an opportunity, and we are now on the cusp of one of the greatest moments in human history.
311 Intelligence
What this means for your leadership team
Work no longer has a fixed place.
If construction work and surgery can move beyond one site, few roles are truly tied down. Leaders should review which jobs they still assume need a fixed location. Work from Anywhere is rated Explore, with wide use expected by 2035.
AI now touches every employee stage.
The session described AI embedded from hiring to firing and everything between. That makes people decisions a shared question for HR, technology and the board. Job Automation is rated Act now, with wide use expected by 2027.
Treat automation as a human opportunity.
AI can democratise access to expertise and skills, so more people can turn ideas into results. The risk is to staff who are left out of that shift. Virtual Reality head offices are one early sign of how workplaces may change, and the technology is at TRL 9.
Three questions for your next leadership meeting
Which of our roles could move away from a fixed location?
Where is AI already shaping our hiring and people decisions?
How will we help staff gain skills as automation spreads?
The trends and technologies behind this session
From the 311 Starburst, the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit’s map of the technologies and trends shaping the next 50 years.
It means planning for work that can happen anywhere and for AI inside the whole employee lifecycle. The aim is to use automation to widen what people can do, not only to cut tasks.
How does Artificial Intelligence relate to the future of work?
In the session, AI is embedded from hiring to firing and also spreads access to expertise and skills. 311 rates the trend Act now, with wide use expected by 2024.
How does Work from Anywhere relate to this session?
The session showed work moving beyond one place, even in construction work and surgery. 311 rates the trend Explore, with wide use expected by 2035.
How can 311 brief our leadership team on this?
Through a private executive briefing or leadership workshop, tailored to your sector, in person first.
Bring this to your leadership teamA private executive briefing or leadership workshop, tailored to your sector. In person first, anywhere in the world.
Analysis by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit, from Matthew Griffin’s session and 311 data.
If Matthew gave this session today
A heavy AI user directs about 18 people's work.
311 Institute's latest Future of Work research finds a heavy AI user already directs the work of about 18 people for $180 a month, evidence for Matthew's argument that AI multiplies what people can achieve.
