The global artificial intelligence market was already estimated at €327 billion in 2021. Since then, tools have proliferated and conversational AI systems such as ChatGPT have made the subject tangible for millions of people. Within organisations, 45% of companies see AI as a lever for improving remote working. And 57% of employees see it as an opportunity to enhance their own experience. The question is therefore no longer whether AI will transform organisations, but how to harness it in a structured way, without losing sight of the employees who keep them running every day.

AI in the Workplace: What Are We Actually Talking About?

For many, artificial intelligence remains a vague concept, simultaneously everywhere and difficult to grasp. Returning to its real-world applications makes it possible to clarify what is actually at stake and to establish a clear framework for action.

Five Use Cases Already Shaping Organisations

In 2021, AI applications in organisations fell into five broad categories: risk management, fraud and cybersecurity threats; improving ethics and detecting discrimination; helping employees make better decisions; scenario analysis through model simulations; and automating routine tasks.

These use cases address both organisation-wide challenges, such as risk management at scale, and individual challenges, such as simplifying repetitive tasks for each employee. This is one of AI's distinctive characteristics: it simultaneously speaks to every level of the organisation, from leadership to frontline teams.

A Subject That Touches Every Role and Every Function

The global AI market is expected to reach half a trillion euros in the coming years. Every sector is affected, every function, every role. For each position, the question of the partial or total transformation of responsibilities is now firmly on the table.

This is not purely a technological subject: it is also a human one. Employee development, skills monitoring, training, management: every component of the employee experience is set to be touched by AI. The encouraging news: 57% of employees see this as an opportunity for improvement, not a threat.

The Transformation of Roles: Implications for Organisations and Their Teams

The transformation driven by AI is not simply a matter of tools. It calls into question the organisation as a whole, the priorities of HR teams and the way in which organisations support their employees over the long term.

Careers in Full Reconfiguration by 2030

The figures speak to the scale of the changes ahead. Between 75 and 375 million employees worldwide will need to reassess their careers and reposition themselves in new roles by 2030. More than 30% of hours worked could be automated over the same period. And between 8% and 9% of demand for labour in 2030 will lie in new technologies.

For employees, career trajectories will be reconfigured at a sustained pace. Some will see their opportunities multiply; others will need to adapt to profound changes in their responsibilities. Tools will continue to evolve, new roles will emerge, and the time available to adapt will often be limited. Responses to these changes will frequently come after the decisions that triggered them.

The Employee Experience at the Heart of the Transition

For organisations, the challenge is twofold. Reviewing the organisation, teams and tools to achieve objectives, whilst maintaining a high-quality employee experience in an uncertain context. Without precise visibility over the 85 million jobs likely to be affected in the near term, the margin for building genuinely engaging career pathways is narrowing.

This is precisely where data gathered from frontline employees takes on its full value. Using it to adjust training, evolve roles and inform managerial decisions is the most concrete lever for adapting the employee experience to the reality of the transformation underway.

The Benefits and Limitations of AI Assistants: What to Keep in Mind

AI assistants, whether conversational, voice-based or generative, offer real contributions at different levels of the organisation. These benefits come with conditions, however, and the limitations of deployment deserve to be named clearly in order to manage adoption with clear-sightedness.

Concrete Benefits, Provided Data Is Well Managed

AI assistance tools make it possible to analyse large volumes of data, automate low-value-added tasks, personalise training or career pathways, and improve the quality of decisions by drawing on factual data. All levers that free up time for higher-value activities.

But without reliable and accessible data, AI cannot deliver on its promise. As Françoise Mercadal-Delasalles, Director of Resources and Innovation at Société Générale, points out: "data sharing is the primary problem". For AI to be genuinely effective, it must be able to draw on the maximum volume of available data. "Without a data lake, we can do nothing with AI," she notes, referring to a shared data repository at the scale of an entire organisation.

Trust and Regulation: The Conditions for Lasting Adoption

Reservations about AI remain significant: 7 in 10 consumers express concerns, a quarter of them around the issue of control exercised by machines. Within organisations, trust in algorithms is directly linked to the existence of a clear regulatory framework.

A study conducted by AXA on different adoption scenarios to 2030 confirms this: algorithms will only be accepted by society if they are overseen by a competent regulator. "Social acceptance of technology will influence its future," explains Cécile Wendling. "Two subjects can cause concern: doubt about accountability when things go wrong, and fears about employment." According to the OECD, 9% of jobs could disappear, replaced by algorithms or robots. Other researchers put forward higher estimates. In all cases, it is the ethical and regulatory framework that will determine the lasting adoption of AI within organisations.

Sources: Léo Duff, Passport-photo