You are enthusiastic about your occupation. You demonstrate proficiency in your assignments. You establish rapport with your colleagues.
Consider the scenario in which you arrive at work one morning to find that you are no longer able to access the premises and have been logged out of all the systems you depend on for work.
Your recruiter informs you that you have been terminated; however, your manager is equally perplexed. Two individuals will soon approach your workstation; they have been instructed to accompany you out of the office.
The order was generated by a machine; however, none of your superiors have the authority to prevent it. Does this sound like science fiction? It is not.
According to Ibrahim Diallo, a software developer based in California, the ordeal occurred eight months into his three-year contract with a large company.
Diallo detailed in his blog post, “The machine fired me,” how a former manager neglected to renew his contract in accordance with the acquisition of their previous organization. The new management accepted Diallo; however, the necessary documentation for the transition had not yet been prepared.
“The machine took over and fired me,” Diallo stated, after his pre-existing contract had expired.
“The system assumes control once the termination order for the employee is submitted.” “All the necessary orders are sent automatically, and the completion of each order creates a new order,” stated Diallo.
As the management attempted to rectify the situation, Diallo was rendered unemployed and forfeited three weeks’ wages due to the fact that “no one could shut down the machine.”
“The entire system collapsed due to a straightforward automation error,” he stated.
HR automation is intended to expedite recruitment, onboarding, and other routine duties, allowing HR professionals to concentrate on more strategic responsibilities. However, the necessity for humans to maintain control over their instruments is underscored by experts.
Dave Coplin, an AI expert, stated to the BBC that accountability is a fundamental skill for all humans in an AI world. He emphasized that the algorithm’s assertion that it is the solution does not necessarily imply that it is the correct one.
He stated, “It is yet another illustration of the failure of human reasoning, as they permit the situation to be characterized as humans versus machines rather than humans plus machines.”
In the era of AI and automation, HR tech expert Daneal Charney cautioned against the illusory dichotomy of humans versus robots: “It is not a battle between us and the machine.”
The AI and ethics panel at the HR Tech Summit in Toronto was moderated by the director of talent at the innovation center MaRSDD last week. Subsequently, she tweeted her thoughts on empowering individuals.
“Resume control,” she advised. “We determine the rationale and method for implementing AI in the workplace.” Ethical guidelines are determined by us.
It is not a battle between us and the machine. Return to the driver’s seat.
We determine the rationale and methods for implementing AI in the workplace.
The ethical standards are determined by us.
