We have all read about various stories of artificial intelligence taking over people’s jobs. But with the growth of the AI field in recent years, this sci-fi staple has become a lot closer to reality. And people now say that no job is safe from it, not even outsourcing.
But is it? And does that mean the end for outsourcing as a go-to business strategy? Let’s take a deeper look and find out the truth about this. We will also discover what you can do with the trend.
The Changes That AI Brings To Businesses
It is worth noting that the notion of artificial intelligence potentially replacing humans in various jobs has been around for decades. However, the technology was still very much in its infancy back then. As such, many saw it as just a novel curiosity. Businesses were also not keen on implementing that new technology on a large scale.
Image from The Next Tech.
But as the technology matured, it also increased significantly in capabilities. AI was soon able to do things that were not possible before. For instance, AI made chatbots go from canned responders to more humanlike conversations.
That has made businesses rethink their position on various artificial intelligence technologies. They began looking at what these technologies will bring into their operations and how they can better incorporate them into their workflows.
That development also brought in the question of how AI will impact labor. Businesses now see it as a means of dealing with their workforce needs. In particular, AI enables them to streamline their current teams and reduce labor costs. On the other hand, the tech makes it easier for them to expand their capabilities on demand without going through extensive hiring.
How AI Impacts Outsourcing
With the above impact on labor needs brought forth, we also arrive at the question of how AI impacts outsourcing. As it is, outsourcing is also a popular solution for the above labor concerns. Because of that, this raises the question of whether the tech would completely supersede it.
Image from Go 4 Customer.
These worries are legitimate. After all, outsourcing may offer businesses better benefits in various areas. For instance, it can reduce labor costs further since there will be less need for paid agents. Additionally, it can provide companies with better control of the work output. That ability is especially welcome in industries where greater accuracy is needed.
But outsourcing firms should not fret. While it creates those benefits, artificial intelligence is not replacing the business strategy completely. That is because there are things that would be better left to human agents.
Decision Making
Even with all the information at its disposal, AI might still struggle at making timely decisions. Owing to their years of experience, human agents can better spot nuances. That allows them to take courses of action that might be different but will ultimately provide better results.
Image from Bizz Buzz.
Firms value that independence of thought, as it lets an outsourced firm work without much supervision. With that, business owners can focus on othervital things. Business owners also see it as an effective way to boost their growth through the expertise of others.
Creativity
In the past few months, you might have already encountered the boom of AI art, with programs creating works nearly indistinguishable from those done by actual people. However, it still has its limitations. Namely, AI can only generate art based on a fixed number of samples.
Image from Love And Logic.
That ultimately limits the “creativity” that it has. With human agents, that is not the case. As cliche, as it might seem, we have an infinite amount of creativity. That is also something that companies value very much from outsourced teams.
How AI Will Innovate Outsourcing
However, it is not just an either-or situation. As it turns out, outsourcing itself can also benefit from AI. And when your startup company fully grasps these benefits, you can better use both to improve operations.
Improved Contracts
One of the fascinating things that artificial intelligence can bring to your startup company’s outsourcing effort is improved contracts. Here, you will find that the usual negotiating points for these contracts will now change.
For instance, cost becomes less of a factor. Providers will now instead focus more on the value they can give clients. A fascinating development here would be the growing emphasis on single providers that can deliver multiple needs. With the help of AI, they can indeed make this happen.
For this, business leaders need to consider the ownership of the AI technology developed for the work. That ensures that there is continuity with using the tech for other projects. For the part of the provider, it will help them protect their proprietary software.
Increased Security
Effective security management is vital for the success of any outsourcing effort. Artificial intelligence can also become a useful tool here. When trained correctly, an AI tool can safeguard you and your outsourced partner in the background.
Human agents can also work closely with the tool to proactively ensure the security of their work. That is where the above aspects come into play, as human intelligence can guide AI to improve its security processes.
Merging Artificial Intelligence and Outsourcing
To get these benefits, you need to know how to bring AI and human intelligence together. Here, you need a good grasp of what each side will play in your outsourcing effort. These roles should be clearly defined, as it will help you better determine the specific requirements for each.
Image from Fit Small Business.
For instance, you might use artificial intelligence for handling bulk customer service actions. Meanwhile, your outsourced human team can work on more complex cases requiring their intervention.
But you should also consider how the two will be in harmony. Create a feedback system where the AI would learn from the inputs provided by human agents. On the other hand, you would also want to encourage the team to explore new ways to use AI for their work.
Ultimately, you want to see artificial intelligence become integral to your outsourcing efforts. Once you achieve that, you will see what AI can truly bring to your business. So, get ready and explore this wonderful new technology. Virtua is right here to help you get more.