At Thoughtful, we specialize in creating the next generation of powerful bots to help businesses achieve their goals. As a result, you may think we're in the business of replacing humans - but that's not true. While humans and robots can accomplish impressive feats individually, they're stronger. 

Integrating AI into your business gives you a powerful ally that can tackle repetitive tasks, crunch data, and offer real-time insights. This means you can spend more time on the things that matter most - the creative and critical functions that require a human touch. The collaboration between humans and AI results in a dynamic duo that brings new knowledge, skills, and efficiency to the table. And the best part? The company benefits from the improved outcomes and better decision-making from this partnership.

Why Use Bots in the Workplace?

Automation has come a long way in the last decade or so. For example, conversing with a chatbot in 2010 was enough to make you want to tear your hair out - one less-than-ideal keyword was enough to make the bot spout nonsense. But with advancements in automation programming and AI, today's bots are almost indistinguishable from humans' responses. 

With this in mind, there are several specific reasons why companies should consider using automation in the workplace:

1. Increased Efficiency: Bots can automate repetitive tasks, allowing employees to focus on higher-value tasks, like projects that take the business to new heights. This can result in increased productivity and a reduction in the time it takes to complete specific tasks. Robotic Process Automation (RPA) bots can complete tasks 20 times faster than human workers. 
2. Improved Customer Service: Bots can provide 24/7 customer service, answering frequently asked questions and resolving simple issues quickly. This can lead to increased customer satisfaction and improved brand reputation. And crucially, 74% of internet users prefer using chatbots when looking for simple answers. 
3. Cost Savings: Implementing bots can reduce labor costs, as they can perform tasks more quickly and accurately than humans. This can result in significant cost savings for the company. A bot can cost up to 65% less than a full-time human employee.
4. Improved Data Management: Bots can collect, organize, and analyze data, allowing for more informed decision-making. They can also help with data entry, reducing the risk of human error. For example, RPA bots for invoicing, Accounts Receivable, and Accounts Payable can dramatically speed up operations while reducing errors. 
5. Improved Employee Experience: By automating repetitive tasks, bots can help to reduce employee burnout. Employees can focus on more challenging and rewarding assignments, enhancing engagement and job satisfaction.

Where Human Workers Can't Be Beat

While AI and machine learning algorithms have made great strides in recent years, there are still several things that humans are better at than AI in the workplace:

1. Creativity and Innovation: Humans can think outside the box and develop new ideas and solutions to problems. AI algorithms can provide suggestions based on data, but they need the human ability to generate genuinely original and innovative ideas.
2. Emotional Intelligence: Humans can understand, interpret, and respond to emotions. AI algorithms can recognize emotions to some extent but do not have the same empathy and emotional intelligence as humans.
3. Ethical Judgment: AI algorithms can be programmed to follow the rules, but they cannot make righteous judgments. Humans, on the other hand, can weigh the ethical implications of their actions and make decisions based on moral principles.
4. Interpersonal Communication: Humans can communicate effectively and build relationships with others. AI algorithms can share, but they cannot understand the nuances of human communication and build relationships in the same way humans can.
5. Contextual Understanding: Humans can understand the context of a situation and use their experiences to make informed decisions. AI algorithms can provide suggestions based on data, but they cannot understand the context and make decisions based on their understanding of the situation.

Wrapping Up 

Companies can maximize their potential by utilizing both AI and human employees together. AI algorithms can handle repetitive tasks accurately and quickly, while human employees bring in creativity, emotional intelligence, and ethical judgment to the table. This combination can lead to improved decision-making, increased productivity, better customer satisfaction, and effective risk management. 

Companies should develop strategies that leverage AI's and humans' strengths and provide training and support for employees to work effectively with AI. Companies can achieve better results and create a more dynamic work environment by utilizing the complementary skills.