In a rapidly evolving technological landscape, two startup CEOs, Abdullah Asiri of Lucidya and David Shim of Read AI, have shared their perspectives on the role of artificial intelligence in the workplace. Both leaders mention that AI tools can replace certain tasks. They don’t think that AI will take over human roles entirely. Their perspectives offer a window into the changing nature of work as organizations begin to adopt AI at scale.
Under the leadership of Abdullah Asiri, Lucidya enjoys an innovative culture that harnesses AI of all varieties. With Read AI, they get more efficient meetings and greater marketing asset production. The company goes further by addressing transparency when it comes to the use of voice AI in conversations, as you can read here. Asiri knows AI will not replace his job, but rather certain tasks. She argues that the human touch continues to be key for understanding and humanizing customer pain points.
Since then, Read AI has become a market leader. It is amazing to think that it raised a jaw-dropping $50 million and enabled over $200 million in approved transactions via its platform so far. In fact, Shim’s platform can automatically plug into tools like Slack and email that your team already uses, pulling in 23% more context with every update. With a customer service team of only five individuals serving millions of monthly users, Read AI exemplifies how a lean team can leverage AI to boost productivity.
The Role of AI in Task Management
Abdullah Asiri paints a hopeful picture in which AI acts as an aid and complement, not as a substitute. He even made Ripley’s Believe It or Not, realizing that many more tasks were being automated. The fundamental tasks that rely on human intuition and empathy remain intact.
“It’s all about resolving issues and finding customers’ problems and resolving them,” he states, underscoring the necessity of human interaction in customer service. Asiri acknowledges the importance of hiring individuals who are proficient in AI technologies, while recognizing the need for a realistic approach to workforce capabilities.
This hasn’t stopped every company in the world from trying to hire AI-natives — those mythical geniuses trained in the ways of artificial intelligence. We need to be honest with ourselves about the challenges of balancing technological advancement with the need for fundamentally human skills.
Enhancing Productivity with AI Tools
David Shim, tacitly echoing Asiri, is optimistic about a complementary relationship between humans and AI. He strongly asserts that tools such as Read AI aren’t job killers. Rather, they’re raising productivity by allowing humans to concentrate on more strategic work.
“Nobody here wants to sit down and take meeting notes, but as you start to take away that job, you have a little bit more time to do other things that you can go and focus on,” Shim explains. His example underscores that this change lets workers get back to serving customers faster. Equally important, they can use evidence to drive smart policy making and spending without being overwhelmed by minutiae.
Shim points out that his AI-powered platform increases productivity by 75 percent. It deepens the total context provided to users, enabling them to do their entire job greatly better.
The Future of Work in an AI-Driven Environment
Humanity will still play a key role, both Asiri and Shim concur, even as new AI technologies continue to develop. They foresee a future where humans will always play a critical role in guiding decisions and actions taken by automated systems.
“I think there’s always going to be a human in the middle,” Shim asserts, reinforcing the idea that human intuition and emotional intelligence cannot be replicated by machines. Asiri’s insights only strengthen this notion as he highlights the role of a human touch in addressing multifaceted customer journeys.
