It’s 9 am as William opens his laptop, his dog snores loudly in the next room as he logs onto his company’s workspace. He reminisces about his old life, everything from the crowded subway to the small restaurant downstairs where he had lunch with his colleagues. William’s life has changed just like millions of others around the world. Remote working, a concept that is nothing new, has found a new meaning and importance in a world ravaged by the Covid pandemic. We always hear about how companies are digitizing, but through this piece, I hope to give you an insight into what is changing for the common man.
All Things Online
The pandemic has helped in rapidly accelerating digital working, learning, and networking. Now things that were once thought to be inaccessible online are available for everyone. Online classes were something educationists thought to be temporary but it has instead proven to be more of a permanent solution. Now schools do not have to worry about having access to an in-person teacher anymore. For example, a school in India can easily recruit an actual German teacher to teach German. Although one can argue that this option was available before, more conventional countries/communities would have never accepted that their kids be taught by someone 7000 miles away. Parents with a rather traditionalist approach are realizing they don’t have to spend any more mornings running after their kids, but can now have a more laidback approach. Similar mindset changes have occurred in regards to online shopping. Now, many adults have begun creating Instagram profiles and are even shopping directly from the social media site. This online shopping mania has extended to everything from groceries to high-end luxury products. The good news is that even developing countries like Thailand have a strong foot in the world of e-commerce as data suggests. This shift to e-commerce has made consumers like you and me realize the benefits. It’s less expensive, it opens a new range of products and it is more convenient.
AI: Friend to Die For
This brings us to the next point: is every person experiencing the same change? It’s a big no. Let’s go back to the story of William. Things seem to be going fine from his perspective as he can now balance work and home. Countries like America are pushing for fewer working days as the efficiency of their employees seems to be increasing with the changes brought by the pandemic. But what about William’s neighbor Peter? He is worried that his job won’t exist much longer unless he can magically re-skill himself to fit the new needs of his company. Increasing usage of AI and automation to tackle problems put forward by the pandemic has opened a new backdoor of issues regarding skill gaps amongst employees. This is not necessarily bad, as this now compels the common man to up his skill set. AI is nothing new to mankind as there has always been dialogue about the changes it may set in motion. But I think that a viable solution can be found between man and AI. As time and time has proven again, man and machine do form a great combination. This can be derived from the fact that AI complements the existing skills of humans. To run a successful business we need the capabilities of both, the strength of the AI substitutes for the weakness in humans and vice-versa. AI does not possess the ability to be creative and, when simply put, are just instruments.
Conclusion
Pandemic is a word I learned from the dictionary, and like most of my contemporaries, I never thought I would live through one, let alone for two years. Although this one virus has brought our world to its knees, the world has been relentless in its pursuit of adaptation and in welcoming of change. What we can take away from this is that blended working and learning are here to stay. They are opening up new avenues and changing mindsets. The pandemic has proven the worth of technology and all things digital. From the introduction of zoom and other video conferencing applications to the general population to the convenience of online shopping. In a world that never stops changing, innovations in the field of technology are what is going to help us move forward. To all the William’s and Peter’s of the world, I ask you to venture into the future together.