AI and Mental Wellbeing

The New Era of Technological Change
Just a few years ago, the notion that an advanced AI co-worker might be your own personal coach would have sounded like science fiction. But context is everything. Today’s world has moved on a long way from the Covid lockdowns and endless Zoom marathons. Industries have morphed and automated. Some sectors have seen demand drop as alternative options enter the market, some jobs have disappeared as new roles have appeared. 2024 is a sum of all of the digital parts that have spun out of research and technology labs around the globe as we look to the future with new priorities and technology adapted ways of living.
The need to stay abreast of the innovation curve has become an ever-evolving battle fought by market share by the dominant tech brands. Multi-trillion-dollar technology companies have rolled out algorithms that shape every part of our online experience. Almost everything we experience online is a predetermined, algorithmically influenced outcome based upon probability or known behaviour. My conversations with friends and colleagues often circle the complex topic of social media addiction, fake news, media biases and hate speech. It would be easy to assume that no good comes from having our phones and screens of choice within arms reach, but all is not lost on our digital obsession.

I also see a strange irony in relation to the tech giants that flows over to arguably the biggest issue facing the human population - that of climate change. In the absence of any significant way to rapidly reduce greenhouse emissions and carbon, it may just be that the rise of mega-tech-giants may be the innovators who develop climate solutions. To keep growing these trillion-dollar businesses requires enormous amounts of clean, green energy. If they are individually or collectively unable to develop a new form of scalable, clean and affordable energy, shareholders' and investors' financial returns will decline and competitors will advance. The motivation to create an energy solution is in their hands.
But not all technology is created equal. Humankind’s desire to push technology, challenge science and test the limitations of what is possible continues to be shaped by many conflicting priorities - including the desire to grow capital and to harness better outcomes for people and the planet and the desire for constant growth.

Working with digital tools has been our constant companion for twenty or so years. Ever since the earliest days of the Internet, when knowledge became abundantly accessible and widely distributed, we have been learning and communicating in ways that have changed the very foundations of business and the way we live and work.

From eCommerce, to social media, big data to AI, we are all stepping forward in an unplanned movement of adoption, as we gather more tech around us to boost productivity, to enhance our connections and to feed our desire to be part of something big.

However, this technological renaissance also brings its own set of challenges. As AI tools become more aligned with the competency of humans, job security is a growing concern. As conversations about the need to reskill for new and emerging careers pitch the need to go back to the start line to reskill for new careers, the rise in identity and the crisis of self grows. As technology supercharges business processes and reimagines traditional ways of working, business leaders will be faced with the need to explore job redundancies as a means to stay competitive. 
Here lies a core problem. Is the world entering a phase that is utopian or dystopian? For good or for evil? How do we lean into the future without removing the comfort of what is familiar and valued in our current lives? How do we embrace new advances so that we can be confident in the future without a sense of grief from life in the past?

From my experience, we all need to develop a level of comfort in stepping forward without a rule book to guide us or a plan for what comes next. Certainty, if there is such a thing, is best developed through learning and participating in deep conversations, where we build an understanding of new contexts and where we can develop knowledge that connects the past to the future.

The days of learning for a single static career have long gone, and being open to learning throughout life is the single most impactful way to keep pace with technological advancements and the evolving demands of the job market.
There are many examples of workplace changes that have led to new practices. The COVID-19 pandemic served as a catalyst for a rapid shift to hybrid and remote work models. Almost overnight most people on the planet were granted unprecedented flexibility as working from home became an immediate solution to a complex problem. Many of us now know this flexibility also comes with a blurring of boundaries between work and home often leading to increased instances of burnout and mental fatigue.

The Community Connection
Humans are inherently social beings, and the importance of a work community and connection has never been more important but too often overlooked as a trade-off between working in the office and working from home. While online platforms and social networks have become the dominant spaces for people to connect, share experiences, and support each other, they do not give a kick of endorphin or the thrill of connection that comes with life experienced live and in-person. 

In contemplating the future, it is crucial that we adopt an optimistic and proactive approach to the convergences of technology, work, and mental well-being. By embracing change with enthusiasm and strategic adaptation, we can ensure that these transformations lead not to a negative scenario of displacement and distress but to a vision of empowerment, improved health, and societal enrichment.
Our journey through the digital age is experienced as a collective. The entire world is experiencing rapid changes in sync with each other as the speed of change washes over the entire planet in unison. With the active promotion of workplace creativity, courage, and collaboration, businesses and employees can work together to problem-solve and innovate. However, this requires a higher tolerance for the concept of risk from both employees and employers. Trying new things, adopting new practices or testing new ways of doing things all come with a high probability of failure. Many businesses have evolved to minimise risk and to repress innovation,focusing on building layers of complexity and distributed decision-making, preventing any one individual from being able to influence or create impact. But as we lean into new ways of working, we must ask ourselves: Are we at risk of losing something essential in our pursuit of efficiency and convenience?

The challenge before us is not about choosing between technology and human connection but about finding a harmonious balance between the two. We are at a crossroads where the decisions we make today will shape our future. 

The subtle cues that build connections, the warmth of a handshake, and the shared energy of a room full of people chatting spontaneously cannot be replicated in the same way online. While digital platforms have allowed us to stay connected across distances, they often lack the depth of connection that in-person interactions provide. As we move forward, it is crucial that we create spaces that foster genuine human connections. This means rethinking how we use technology in the workplace, not as a barrier between us but as a bridge that brings us closer together. It's about creating a culture where technology supports human interactions, allowing us to connect on a deeper level, even when we are apart.

Building a Future of Empowerment and Connection

The future we are building is one where technology and humanity coexist in a delicate balance. We are now moving from digital adoption through devices we carry to more immersive technologies such as Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality and conversational AIs that will mimic human experiences and build a new phase in human/tech interaction. However, the advances don’t stop there, as a range of highly funded and disruptive robotics companies around the world are racing to lead the way to a future where humanoids will be commonplace. This could be as soon as 2027, when it is expected hundreds of thousands of humanoids will work alongside us. This adoption rate could grow to millions of units within ten years and possibly a billion by 2040 if Elon Musk’s prediction comes to fruition.

The future where work is not static. It will not be blended, hybrid, remote or face-to-face. We will work in the right palace, at the right time, with the support of technologies that we can hardly imagine. Work will increasingly be about getting things done with a focus on the convergence of technology, data-driven insights, and well-being with intention and care.

The integration of AI and automation poses both opportunities and challenges. On the one hand, these technologies can perform repetitive tasks with greater accuracy and efficiency than humans, freeing up time for more creative and strategic activities. For example, AI algorithms can now generate floor plans and interior designs in architecture and the engineering calculations in a heartbeat, encroaching on the traditional expertise that these professionals offer. Other roles and sectors are equally targeted, by the efficiency and consistency of AI.

This rapid shift necessitates a robust response in terms of education and training. Employees and employers should be thinking and adapting now by developing new skills that align with the changing demands of the labour market. 

With knowledge comes power and the ability to plan. As humans we are well versed in adaptation and change, evidenced by thousands of years of development from the iron age to where we are today. Those who look up and prepare forward will be rewarded for their curiosity and their ability to carry others into new spaces as we find our next new norm.