Could you get your best ever career advice from a ROBOT? The pros and cons of using AI on the job

Once upon a time, one of the best ways to get ahead in your career was to find a mentor early on, and ask them for advice and guidance so that you could make an informed decision about the path your career could take.

But thanks to advances in technology, the next generation are now looking to generative AI to assist them in their career-related queries.

That’s according to a recent study which found that 47 per cent of Gen Z workers admitted to getting better advice from AI chatbots than their manager.

According to a recent study which found that 47 per cent of Gen Z workers admitted to getting better advice from AI chatbots than their manager

The report also established that 59 per cent of all employees felt that their company ‘rarely’ or ‘never’ helped them explore growth or professional development opportunities outside of their department. That’s despite a whopping 74 per cent of employees revealing that access to learning and development hold more value than a promotion or title change.

Techno logic?

But is AI really the answer in place of a human who has the skills and experience to understand and navigate more nuanced issues as they arise?

While generative AI has come on leaps and bounds since it launched in November 2022, it still lacks the human skills, also known as soft skills, to effectively deal with work-related problems that don’t require a black and white answer.

For example, if you’re struggling with a problem that requires a critical yet creative approach, AI chatbots don't have the capacity to analyse from both angles and offer a solution taking both angles into account.

Is AI really the answer in place of a human who has the skills and experience to understand and navigate more nuanced issues as they arise?

Also, it’s worth bearing in mind that the free version of AI chatbots is limited; its training data was last updated in April 2023 so it is unable to include relevant information from the last 12 months. Also, the language model it uses to form its answers, has also been known to hallucinate (including information that was not included in the training data).

Additionally, all generative AI is susceptible to bias as it takes large datasets from the internet and uses them to predict the answers to questions, without a human fact-checking this information before it is delivered to the end user.

The next generation are now looking to generative AI to assist them in their career-related queries

Best foot forward 

While AI chatbots can prove invaluable when tackling a performance review or even structuring a work presentation, it’s probably best to use it as a starting point instead of a de facto mentor.

That said, if you find that your manager is seriously lacking in the management department and isn’t facilitating professional growth or even willing to have a constructive conversation about how you can develop, it might be time to start thinking about your next move.

If that is the case and you’ve decided that you need to start looking for your next opportunity, focus your search on the Mail Jobs Board where you will find thousands of openings in companies actively hiring, such as the three below.

Job openings in the UK

Senior Network Administrator, Jisc, London 

Jisc, a not-for-profit data agency, is working to empower UK universities, colleges, research institutions and wider customers with technology. As a Senior Network Administrator you will be working on the security team and be responsible for the maintenance and development of platforms and applications supporting the work of the cybersecurity function, including patching and monitoring. You will also assist in disaster recovery maintenance and ensure that all processes and procedures are maintained and reviewed in accordance with policies and standards.

 Find out more information here.

AI Content Writer, DataAnnotation, Remote

Are you looking for a flexible remote role that will allow you to switch between part and full time work, depending on your schedule? DataAnnotation is looking for AI Content Writers to teach AI chatbots by having conversations with them and teaching them what to say. To do this you will need a strong imagination and attention to detail to create useful conversations and measure their quality. You do not need experience to apply, although if your background looks good, there will be a starter assessment that will serve as your interview when you sign up.

Interested? Apply here. 

Staff Program Manager, Blackhawk Network, Hemel Hempstead 

Blackhawk Network (BHN) is the leader in global branded payment technologies and its portfolio of products includes gift cards, promotions and rewards and incentives. It is hiring a Staff Program Manager to partner with the product and engineering teams to define roadmaps and help deliver on those roadmaps. As such, you will need to be self-motivated with exceptional programme management skills, have the ability to lead teams and the ability to work collaboratively within a global, matrixed and fast-paced environment to deliver successful outcomes.

See the full job description here. 

Accelerate your job hunt today via the Mail Jobs Board 

atest comment