Mint, India: Cognizant’s Global Chief Technology Officer Asks, Will Augmented Humanity Transform the Workplace?

“Augmented humanity advancements have begun to revolutionize human lives by defining a new ‘normal’,” writes Aan S. Chauhan. “At the end of the day, humans have one thing that could never possibly be replicated by an artificial system: Empathy.”  Excerpts:

“Technology advances have always been premised on improving the human condition. Today, we are on the cusp of an augmented age where technology is redefining the possibilities of what a human can truly be capable of. As this next phase of transformative technology advances, wearable and implanted devices will unlock human potential by tapping into our mood, heart rate and thoughts! Welcome to the brave new world of Augmented Humanity (AH)!

AH promises to transform workforces as much as automation does. AH seeks to make work lives easier, stress-free, and happier. Tomorrow’s workforce will be a mix of technically, and non-technically augmented individuals.

Augmenting the workforce may result in a dilemma of how to evaluate workers, tipping in favour of either the augmented, or those who aren’t. On one hand, AH will flatten the differences by eliminating disadvantages that persons with disabilities face at the workplace and create a true level playing field. On the other hand, an infusion of AH in the workforce may threaten the sanctity of guarded data and know-how, and may force security officers to find new ways to safeguard systems against the prying eyes of employees.

Considering the challenge of tomorrow’s mixed workforce, leaders should think strategically to choose the appropriate technology that best suits their workforce. Before rushing to implement the cool stuff, it helps to first determine the value and productivity gains that particular AH technology may bring.”

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