AI has emerged as the defining technology of our times. According to a report by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the global AI market is expected to surge to $4.8 trillion by 2033.
Research from Qlik, meanwhile, finds that 88% of senior decision-makers believe AI is essential to achieving success, including in reaching strategic goals and increasing profits.
With AI now the baseline for business success, organisations must ready their people for the resulting workplace transformation.
However, many organisations have fallen behind in adapting their employee experience to the new age of AI. A study by Boston Consulting reveals that just 13% of employees see AI agents deeply integrated into their daily workflows, and only one-third of employees understand how these tools function.
Any friction in the employee experience means more work for IT. According to figures from HP, an astonishing 74% of employees wish that their workplace technology was better, and more than half believe IT doesn’t care about or understand their needs.
Given that a positive experience drives higher productivity, profitability and customer satisfaction, while also improving talent attraction and retention, reimagining employee experiences for an AI-first world is essential. Here are two ways it can be achieved.
Step 1: Level up endpoints
The traditional laptop has played a central role in enabling the shift to work-from-anywhere models. However, as AI applications and agents proliferate, older devices will be unable to provide the power needed for increasingly data-heavy workloads. Shifting these workloads to the cloud is an alternative, but one that brings with it high and unpredictable costs along with potential security exposures.
Another way is to upgrade to AI PCs. These cutting-edge devices are custom built to handle data-intensive AI operations including machine learning and large-language model training, high-end graphics processing and generative AI (GenAI) creation. Along with tackling complex on-device AI tasks, AI PCs boost performance for daily work.
The latest generation of AI PCs, such as the HP EliteBook 1040 series, enables employees to focus on higher-impact work that drives competitive advantage while also benefiting from an improved working experience. Powered by latest generation Intel® Core™ Ultra 9 processors, HP’s devices turbocharge AI applications that improve employee experiences such as recommendation engines, predictive analytics and enhanced collaboration tools.
AI PCs can further boost employee engagement by enhancing work-from-anywhere experiences so that people can enjoy flexible working arrangements while maintaining productivity. HP’s AI PCs running on Windows OS, for instance, can help ensure that users are seen and heard clearly during online meetings with Dynamic Voice Levelling and AI Noise Reduction. The devices also ensure that users can be clearly seen on calls with Dynamic Colour Tuning that adjusts camera auto colour and auto white balance. To explore HP AI PCs click here.
Step 2: Empower IT teams
HP has revealed that one of the most promising applications for AI is around building a tailored work experience. According to its research, 69% of knowledge workers who use AI agree they can personalise its use to make them more productive. Even for knowledge workers who don’t use AI, 39% say it should help create a more tailored/customised work experience.
As always, the challenge lies in the fact that IT teams are stretched thin. All the benefits on offer around employee experience and productivity are at risk unless IT teams can find a cost-effective road to workplace transformation. Here, a new generation of workplace experience management tools promises to deliver much. HP’s WXP Platform, for example, provides a unified system through which IT can gain visibility over their organisation’s entire digital ecosystem, making it easy to monitor and manage each endpoint, including the latest generation of AI PCs.
The WXP Platform can directly support the deployment of AI in organisations through pulse surveys and feedback tools that enable employees to highlight when they are struggling with tools, performance or AI‑related issues. That gives visibility to management so problems can be addressed rapidly.
By arming IT teams with AI-fuelled insights, the WXP Platform helps create the conditions for effective use of AI, including stable AI PCs, good performance and proactive support, addressing the barriers that people often come up against when using AI tools.
AI is here, and it is already a key determinant of success. Organisations should prioritise empowering employees with the latest in AI-enabled endpoints, while giving IT the insights and tools needed to support in the transition. Companies that move fastest now stand to benefit the most.