Chapter 5 Artificial Intelligence, Employee Engagement, Fairness, and Job Outcomes

Artificial intelligence (AI) is defined as the ability of a computer system to sense, reason, and respond to the environment. Computer systems with advanced AI can engage in sensing, reasoning, and responding in the most complex and dynamic environments. AI systems are being adapted rapidly by organizations to help manage their workforce. The reason for the popularity of AI is twofold. One, organizations now have access to huge amounts of data (i.e., big data) about their business operations which can be leveraged to make more efficient and effective management decisions. Two, advances in AI now afford organizations the ability to capture and process this data in real-time. Organizations can now incorporate the latest information into their decision making even in the most complex and dynamic competitive markets. Despite this, management through AI also presents new challenges to employees who are now both directed and held accountable by AI.