Recently, the term "business automation" has become a hot topic. In this chapter, we will explore what business automation is, how it has evolved over time, what issues it presents, and what capabilities we need to develop to adapt to these changes.
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The Emergence of a New Automation Era
The word “business” can be defined as follows:
Tasks carried out in a workplace or professional setting.
In the past, industrial growth was centered around manufacturing. Accordingly, workers in manufacturing-based workplaces primarily used machines to produce goods. Over time, to enhance efficiency in production processes and reduce unnecessary costs, factory automation began to be introduced. Thus, the previous era was characterized by factory automation focused on the manufacturing industry.
However, with the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence and the rise of the Fourth Industrial Revolution driven by information and communication technologies, a new era is emerging. In addition to traditional factory automation, a wave of automation is sweeping through office and administrative work. At the center of this transformation are rapidly evolving software technologies and various automation technologies that can replace human cognitive abilities.
The Threat to Jobs Posed by Automation
In 2016, the Korea Employment Information Service conducted a study on the potential for jobs to be replaced by artificial intelligence and robots. The study projected that by around 2025, AI and robots would be sophisticated enough to begin significantly replacing human labor.
[Table] Rankings of Job Replacement Potential by AI and Robots
| Rank | Jobs with High Replacement Potential | Jobs with Low Replacement Potential |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Janitor | Accountant |
| 2 | Kitchen Assistant | Aircraft Pilot |
| 3 | Ticket Seller & Lottery Clerk | Investment & Credit Analyst |
| 4 | Dairy Farm Worker | Asset Manager |
| 5 | Parking Attendant & Guide | Lawyer |
| 6 | Construction & Mining Laborer | Securities & Forex Dealer |
| 7 | Metal Machine Operator | Patent Attorney |
| 8 | Security Guard | Computer Hardware Engineer/Researcher |
| 9 | Light Steel Structure Worker | Corporate Executive |
| 10 | Gas Station Attendant | Computer Network Security Expert |
Coexistence of Humans and Automation Technologies
Despite these advancements, it is not easy for automation technologies to completely replace humans. This is partly because the level of AI and robotics has not yet matched that of humans, but also because reaching a social consensus on such replacement is highly complex.
Therefore, it is highly likely that we will enter an era of coexistence between humans and AI/robots. Humans are expected to focus more on creative, high-value tasks that only humans can perform, while AI-driven automation robots will likely be first applied to repetitive and routine work.
Essential Capabilities in the Age of Business Automation
So what capabilities are essential for us in the age of business automation? In my view, there are three key capabilities:
1. Creativity and expertise in your job role
Automation robots are excellent at handling repetitive tasks, but they still lack the creativity that humans possess. Most of their decisions are based on pre-learned data. If you have expertise in your field, you will likely be responsible for validating the outcomes produced by automation systems. You may end up managing and creating new tasks that automation robots carry out.
2. Process mining thinking
Process mining refers to analyzing and tracing the workflow of tasks. For AI-based automation robots to learn how to carry out a process, they need scenario information that describes it. Since this scenario must be provided by people who know the job, human involvement remains critical.
3. Proficiency in automation tools
Automation tools have evolved significantly in recent years. In the past, only skilled software developers with programming knowledge could develop and apply automation tools. Today, however, even non-experts can automate tasks using easy-to-use automation tools.
Programming languages have become simpler, making it easier to learn coding. Moreover, many no-code solutions now allow users to automate processes simply by defining scenarios. If we prepare ourselves gradually for this new era of business automation, we can build a relationship of coexistence rather than competition with automation robots.
References
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