Generative AI is shaking up the workplace in unprecedented ways. Ferdi Kriel and Frederik Gysels of 乐鱼(Leyu)体育官网 outline the advantages and challenges of this transformative technology.
Back in 2020, solving a task or answering a question meant asking a colleague or searching on Google. Fast forward to 2025, and tools like ChatGPT, Copilot, and Midjourney have become our round-the-clock virtual teammates. Powered by generative AI, a branch of artificial intelligence (AI), they鈥檙e transforming the way we work.
鈥淕enerative AI leverages vast amounts of data, identifying patterns to create new content using a transformer,鈥� explains Ferdi Kriel, Director and Intelligent Automation Competence Lead at 乐鱼(Leyu)体育官网. 鈥淲hile traditional AI models were trained on small datasets, we now work with online data. This opens up incredible possibilities but can also make the output harder to control.鈥�
The technology enables new advancements, such as next-level chatbots. 鈥淚n the past, you had to explicitly program every response a chatbot could give. Now, it can generate answers on its own, without predefined components,鈥� explains Kriel. 鈥淭his is a game-changer for applications like HR, where chatbots could address employee policy questions.鈥�
55% more efficient
鈥淭hese new tools are profoundly changing the way we think about work,鈥� says Frederik Gysels, Director and Ignition Lead at 乐鱼(Leyu)体育官网. 鈥淥n a personal level, they make you more efficient鈥攁llowing you to summarize a 100-page document or expand bullet points into a full text with a single click. On a larger scale, generative AI is transforming complex business processes, which are often made up of smaller tasks that AI can now handle.鈥�
When drafting an RFP (request for proposal), a company can, for example, standardize all incoming proposals and quickly analyze how well they align with the RFP. 鈥淵ou can then even automate the award report and related communication,鈥� he notes. 鈥淚t boosts efficiency, though you鈥檒l never be able to fully rely on AI.鈥�
The benefits of generative AI have quickly emerged. GitHub Copilot, for example, has boosted developer productivity by 55%. 鈥淚t鈥檚 particularly helpful in the early phases of a project, where it automates the setup of frameworks and specific components,鈥� says Kriel. 鈥淚t also allows developers to format incoming questions automatically, improving the system鈥檚 ability to interpret them.鈥�
The skill of working with AI
To effectively use generative AI, you need to first grasp how the technology operates. 鈥淲riting an effective prompt is a skill to be learned,鈥� says Gysels. 鈥淭his can be achieved through training programs and communities where individuals can support each other. Awareness of potential bias is important, and you must also be aware of possible hallucinations. Companies shouldn鈥檛 address this shift on an individual level but instead develop a clear policy. Begin with a pilot group that can safely experiment with the tool and let them act as ambassadors to train the rest of the organization.鈥�
Developing a policy helps bring attention to potential risks. 鈥淎t 乐鱼(Leyu)体育官网, we show the guidelines for each interaction with our GPT tool, clearly stating what鈥檚 allowed and what鈥檚 not,鈥� explains Kriel. 鈥淕enerative AI presents risks we don鈥檛 yet fully understand. People are often rewarded for finishing tasks quickly. If AI takes over the simple tasks, you might feel productive, but only the complex tasks will remain. That means your brain needs to stay constantly engaged,鈥� he notes. He underscores that AI is a digital workforce that will always require human support. 鈥淎I won鈥檛 replace your job, but someone skilled at using it could.鈥�
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