We are all aware of the unstoppable emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in our lives. From the algorithms that suggest movies to us to the virtual assistants that make our daily lives easier, AI is making its way into all areas. However, we rarely have the opportunity to take a look at how companies are experimenting with this technology in a real work environment.
Well, a recent news item has caught my attention and has aroused my curiosity about what it represents. A large Spanish company in the energy sector has carried out a pilot test with an AI tool among 550 of its employees. What is interesting is not only the test itself, but the results obtained and the decisions that the company has made as a result of the experience.
The company, in collaboration with a leading multinational in business software, implemented an AI tool with the aim of analyzing its impact in three key areas: employee experience, efficiency and the quality of the work performed. For a few months, the 550 employees, from different departments and with diverse responsibilities, incorporated this tool into their daily routine.
The results, according to the company itself, have been surprising. An average time saving of 121 minutes per person per week has been recorded, which translates into almost 97 hours per year. To give us an idea, it is as if each employee had more than two weeks of free time per year! And most importantly, according to the interviews conducted, this time saving has translated into the possibility of dedicating more time to tasks with greater added value, those that require creativity, critical thinking and the capacity for analysis inherent to human beings.
And how have employees used this AI tool? The answers are enlightening and give us an idea of the potential of this technology:
. Searching for information: 84%
. Summarizing documents: 83%
. Drawing conclusions: 73%
. Improving creativity: 35%
. Planning the work day: 32%
In other words, AI has acted as an intelligent assistant, freeing workers from repetitive tasks and facilitating their access to information quickly and accurately.
But the most revealing thing is the response from the employees themselves once the pilot test was over. A resounding 62% said they did not want to work without this tool again. Imagine being given the chance to try out a personal assistant that helps you optimise your time and be more efficient. Would you be willing to give it up?
Aware of the positive impact of AI on the productivity and satisfaction of its employees, the company has decided to progressively implement the tool in the rest of the workforce. In fact, it has gone from having 300 licences to acquiring 3,000, a clear sign of the confidence it has placed in this technology.
This case is not an isolated event. More and more companies are joining the AI wave, experimenting with it and looking for ways to integrate it into their processes to be more efficient and competitive. It is clear that AI is not just coming to replace workers, but also to complement their capabilities and free them from routine tasks so they can concentrate on what really matters: creativity, innovation and strategic decision-making.
This Spanish company, with its 25,000 employees, and the multinational provider of the AI tool, are showing that the future of work involves collaboration between humans and machines. A future in which technology, far from being a threat, becomes an ally to build a more productive, efficient and, in part, more human work environment.
I believe that AI must be approached without fear by as many people as possible, and those who do not do so themselves are standing on the side of the road. And that is not at all intelligent.
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