LEADERSHIP IN THE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ERA

Technological advances are growing at a very accelerated pace, particularly Artificial Intelligence (AI), which has led to a surge of commercial interest in automation and robotics. "Technology is now at the point of taking us into a magical age," Alphabet (Google) chairman Eric Schmidt quoted in January 2017. Bolstered by the fourth industrial revolution, robotics is used by many industries in order to perform a wide range of tasks, while AI is now able to assist in making complex decisions in an increasing array of applications. The concept of Artificial Intelligence implies the potential for better efficiency and enhanced consistency. Using simulated artificial neurons and algorithms, AI systems are being incrementally adopted by many industries for their improved performance over their human counterparts. However, according to many researchers, the increased use of AI is resulting in a proportionate decrease in human labor while creating gaps at different levels within the organization. Consequently, accommodating this evolutionary transformation and managing the transformational balance between humans and robots, or the huros(1) workforce, has become a mounting challenge on today's leadership. This paper outlines the major challenges that management leaders must face while adopting Artificial Intelligence technology in their organizations. As result of a qualitative research study, we identify critical areas of focus in the transition towards the management in the AI era.