Gerhard G. StocKinger · Published on February 6, 2025
Robot Control or Enablement: How Companies Should Respond to AI
Technology is changing the way we work. The key to addressing this is empowerment.
Robot tax, AI tax, automation tax: As soon as technology visibly changes the nature of work, the same debate resurfaces. Even Isaac Asimov’s stories revolved around the question of how humans would coexist with intelligent machines. Today, it’s a reality for businesses.
The wrong question is: How do we slow down technology?
A tax can be debated from a sociopolitical perspective. Within a company, however, it does not solve problems such as a lack of skills or poor processes. Anyone who views AI merely as a replacement for humans overlooks the greater potential: With the right tools, people can analyze information more quickly, make better decisions, and free up more time for value-adding work.
Enablement Instead of Tool Rollout
An effective program combines four levels:
- Guidance: Employees understand the possibilities, limitations, and rules.
- Hands-on: You'll work on real-world tasks rather than abstract training examples.
- Responsibility: Roles, review steps, and escalation procedures have been defined.
- Learning: Lessons learned from pilot projects are translated into standards and new capabilities.
This also changes the nature of leadership. Leaders do not need to master every tool in detail, but they must create opportunities for learning, set priorities, and enable responsible decision-making.
Conclusion: The future of work will not become more human simply by ignoring technology. It will become more human when we empower people to use technology consciously, safely, and meaningfully.
This post is based on my LinkedIn post from February 6, 2025, and has been expanded for the blog.