Email Jim at jim.thompson@ipulpmedia.com

You may have a separate training department, but a storm is coming that they may not be able to handle. That storm is Artificial Intelligence (AI) training and its integration with your Industry 4.0 initiatives.

You may think that AI is so easy anyone can learn it on their own. I think that may lead to some bad habits. Where we are at with AI right now is where we were in the first grade using those big thick pencils (I assume they are still used in the first grade). Or maybe the first year of piano lessons (unless you are a prodigy).

It seems as though the deceptive part of learning AI is that one becomes enamored with just a taste of it because it seems so magical. I suspect that, at depth, we will all be doing much more with AI than we can even imagine. The companies that dig deep into this new tool will be the top competitors.

How can HR help with this? Study the subject and get with your trainers and operators. Develop a plan for what is needed and how to get it in the most efficient manner.

HR can set up classes, trainers and develop proficiency tests. Vet the various AI algorithms available. It seems as though some are good for certain tasks, others are good for others.

Keep a living directory of all employees' efficiencies in AI.

Don't be surprised if some marginal employees at existing tasks turn out to be the stars at AI. Conversely, don't be surprised if some folks who are stars now are marginalized by AI.

It is a brand-new world. I have been through many, many stepwise changes in technology in my nearly fifty-six-year career. I have never seen a change as rapid or as significant as AI. Everyone will need to get on board. HR can help with organization, training and assessment.

Be safe and we will talk next year!

For a deeper understanding, go here.

Study Guide: Human Resources and the AI Training Challenge

This study guide provides a review of the key concepts presented in Jim Thompson's article, "The coming challenge for HR." It includes a short-answer quiz, an answer key, suggested essay questions, and a glossary of terms to facilitate a comprehensive understanding of the material.

Short-Answer Quiz

Instructions: Please answer the following ten questions based on the provided source material. Aim for responses that are two to three sentences long.

1. What is the primary challenge for Human Resources (HR) as described in the text?
2. What analogy does the author use to describe the current state of learning Artificial Intelligence (AI)?
3. Why does the author consider the initial process of learning AI to be potentially deceptive?
4. According to the text, what action will distinguish the top competitor companies from others in the era of AI?
5. What are the first three steps the author recommends HR should take to address the AI training challenge?
6. List three specific, practical tasks that HR can undertake to manage a company's AI integration.
7. What is the purpose of maintaining a "living directory" of employee efficiencies in AI?
8. According to the author, how might AI impact the roles and performance valuations of existing employees?
9. How does the author characterize the significance of AI when compared to other technological changes throughout his career?
10. What are the three core functions HR can provide to help all employees "get on board" with AI?

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Answer Key

1. The primary challenge for HR is the impending "storm" of Artificial Intelligence (AI) training and its necessary integration with Industry 4.0 initiatives. The text suggests that a company's existing training department may not be equipped to handle this challenge alone, requiring HR's strategic involvement.
2. The author compares the current state of AI learning to being in the first grade using "big thick pencils" or taking the first year of piano lessons. This analogy implies that while the basics may seem simple, achieving true mastery requires deeper, more structured, and more advanced learning over time.
3. Learning AI is considered deceptive because its initial results can seem "magical," causing users to become "enamored with just a taste of it." This superficial engagement can lead to the formation of bad habits and prevent the deeper understanding required for effective, competitive application.
4. The text states that the companies that "dig deep into this new tool will be the top competitors." This indicates that a thorough and profound integration and understanding of AI, rather than superficial use, will be the key differentiator for future business success.
5. The first three steps HR should take are to thoroughly study the subject of AI, collaborate with the company's trainers and operators, and then develop a comprehensive plan outlining what training is needed and how to deliver it in the most efficient manner.
6. Three practical tasks for HR are setting up formal classes and securing qualified trainers, developing proficiency tests to accurately assess employee skills, and vetting various AI algorithms to identify which are best suited for different organizational tasks.
7. A "living directory" of employee AI efficiencies would serve as a continuously updated record of each employee's skill level. This would allow the organization to track progress, identify emerging talent, and effectively manage ongoing training and assessment programs.
8. AI could dramatically shift employee roles and performance hierarchies. Some employees who were previously considered "marginal" may become "stars" due to a natural aptitude for AI, while some current high-performing "stars" could see their roles and skills marginalized by the new technology.
9. Drawing from a nearly fifty-six-year career, the author states that he has "never seen a change as rapid or as significant as AI." This characterization emphasizes the unprecedented scale and velocity of the technological shift that AI represents.
10. The three core functions HR can provide to ensure a smooth and comprehensive company-wide adoption of AI are organization, training, and assessment. These pillars form the foundation of a structured approach to managing the transition.

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Essay Questions

Instructions: The following questions are designed to encourage deeper analysis of the source text. Formulate a comprehensive response to each question, drawing evidence and arguments exclusively from the provided material.

1. Drawing from the text, elaborate on the author's argument that the initial "magical" nature of AI can be a deceptive trap for organizations. How can the specific actions recommended for HR help a company avoid this trap and foster deep competency?
2. The author states, "Don't be surprised if some marginal employees at existing tasks turn out to be the stars at AI. Conversely, don't be surprised if some folks who are stars now are marginalized by AI." Discuss the implications of this potential shift for HR's role in talent management, performance assessment, and strategic workforce planning.
3. Analyze the comprehensive, strategic role envisioned for HR in managing the AI transition. Beyond the logistical task of setting up classes, what does the author suggest HR must do to become a central and indispensable leader in the company's successful AI integration?
4. The author compares the current state of AI to using "big thick pencils" in first grade. Fully explain this analogy and discuss what it implies about the future evolution of AI skills and the necessity for a long-term, structured training program within a company.
5. Using the author's perspective on the unprecedented speed and significance of the AI revolution, construct an argument for why a proactive and highly organized approach, led by HR, is critical for corporate survival and competitive advantage.

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Glossary of Key Terms

Term Definition

Artificial Intelligence (AI) A significant and rapidly advancing new technology described as a "tool" that requires company-wide training and deep integration. The author argues that companies must "dig deep" into AI to remain competitive.

AI Training The formal process of educating employees on how to effectively use AI. The text presents this as a coming "storm" that requires a structured plan, warning that unstructured self-learning may lead to "bad habits."

Industry 4.0 A set of modern industrial initiatives that, according to the text, must be integrated with a company's AI training strategy.

Living Directory A continuously updated record, to be maintained by HR, that documents all employees' efficiencies and skill levels in AI. It serves as a tool for talent management and training assessment.

Proficiency Tests Assessments designed and developed by HR to formally measure and evaluate employees' skills and efficiencies in using AI.

Stepwise Changes in Technology Previous technological advancements experienced by the author during his nearly 56-year career. These past changes are characterized as being less rapid and less significant than the current shift driven by AI.

Vet (AI Algorithms) The process of critically evaluating and examining different AI algorithms to determine their suitability for specific tasks within the company. The text assigns this responsibility to HR.

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