Will robots, artificial intelligence and other smart technology drive new highs in business productivity? Or will it steal jobs from human beings by the millions?

It turns out the consensus is yes.

Or at least that’s what business executives think. A new survey of 3,800 of them from around the world, conducted by Dell Technologies Inc. and the Institute for the Future and released Jan. 30, has found that although people broadly agree that humans and machines will increasingly work in integrated teams, they’re also sharply divided on whether that’s a good or a bad thing.

Half of the professionals surveyed think automated systems will give humans more free time – which means that the other half don’t. Similarly, 42 percent said intelligent machines will offload tasks and deliver greater job satisfaction – meaning that the majority believe otherwise.

Researchers asked 15 questions related to the impact of automated systems on lifestyles and the workplace. None produced more than 59 percent agreement: “Technology will connect the right person to the right task, at the right time.” Respondents split roughly 50-50 on questions of whether automated systems will free up our time, whether they’ll make us more productive through collaboration, the need for clear protocols to deal with machine failure and the likelihood that the workforce will become increasingly remote and globally connected.

“The fact that folks are torn about these illustrates the lack of meaningful dialogue,” said Matt Baker, senior vice president of Dell EMC strategy and planning. “We, as an industry, aren’t doing a great job of educating our collective customers.”

Regarding the much-discussed goal of becoming a digital business, the survey found that businesses are making only modest progress. Barely one-quarter of respondents said their organizations have fully integrated digital tools and practices, while 57 percent are struggling simply to keep up with the pace of change. More discouraging is that 93 percent said they’re battling barriers to becoming more digital.

But at least they agree on the steps to take. Asked what advice they would give companies trying to digitally transform, respondents were nearly unanimous on factors like the need for employee buy-in, boardroom-level support, clear goals definition and leadership by senior executives.

And in the long term, they’re fairly optimistic about the future. For example, an overwhelming 94 percent said believe their organizations will have effective cybersecurity defenses in place within five years, a remarkable statistic given the steady growth in cyberattacks. Ninety percent believe they’ll deliver their product as a service by 2023 and 81 percent expect to use AI to pre-empt customer demands.

Dell commissioned the survey to start what Baker called a “meaningful dialogue” about how to accommodate smart machines. “We’re reaching a point where we’re moving from technology as a tool to something that sits alongside us as more of a thinking co-equal,” he said. “We’re saying don’t buy into the polarization debate. Let’s get started.”

Image: Dell Technologies