Search Engine Journal: Lindner professor talks shifting job market, ethical practices in AI

As the conversation around AI heats up, Craig Froehle offers key insights to best practices

Carl H. Lindner College of Business Professor of Operations, Business Analytics, and Information Systems Craig Froehle, PhD, recently spoke with Search Engine Journal on all things artificial intelligence (AI) — the risks, the benefits and tips on properly deploying the technology in the workplace.

According to Froehle, for workers, AI’s threat to white collar jobs is relatively low. Current AI technologies are better suited for more rudimentary, repetitive tasks, rather than creative projects or strategic thinking. In this case, workers can use AI to be more efficient in their roles.

He cautions businesses and management teams to be tactical when implementing and introducing these tools to their employees and within their companies.  

Liwei Chen, PhD, assistant professor of operations, business analytics and information systems; Craig Froehle, PhD, professor of operations, business analytics and information systems; Michael Fry, PhD, professor of operations, business analytics and information systems and academic director of the Center for Business Analytics. Photographed at Digital Futures for a story about how AI will impact business.

Craig Froehle, PhD, professor of operations, business analytics, and information systems.

“Organizations committed to their employees will need to invest in employee training and up-skilling, and they’ll need to work harder than ever to help move employees into roles that match their capabilities,” Froehle told Search Engine Journal. “As fast as AI tools are likely to evolve, I can imagine companies who don’t invest that way start to see their employee turnover expenses double, or more, in a very short period.”

Also, on Froehle’s radar: AI ethics. Froehle warns businesses to be mindful of what data they are using to train their AI tools, as it may run up against intellectual property laws. He advises to critically analyze the outputs of generative AI to ensure accuracy and quality. Misinformation also remains a concern.

Despite some misgivings, Froehle views AI as a net positive, creating and augmenting jobs while requiring careful implementation.

Explore further insights from Froehle in his interview with Search Engine Journal

Froehle and his colleagues also discuss the rapid advancements in AI and its impact on the workplace in the latest installment of the Future of Work series.

Featured image courtesy of Adobe Stock.

Innovation Lives Here

The University of Cincinnati is leading public urban universities into a new era of innovation and impact. Our faculty, staff and students are saving lives, changing outcomes and bending the future in our city's direction. Next Lives Here.

Related Stories

2

Lindner MBA program names new director

August 15, 2023

The Carl H. Lindner College of Business has appointed a new academic director of MBA programs. Johnny Rungtusanatham, PhD — also an Ohio Eminent Scholar in Operations Management and Quantitative Analysis — will fill the role and serve as a professor of operations, business analytics, and information systems (OBAIS).