“How the digital transformation can put people at the heart of robotics and automation” is a 2021 study commissioned by the European Economic and Social Committee. It aims to identify a set of operational recommendations that could be applied to both adopters and policy makers in the area of digital transformation and to highlight a “set” of good practices across sectors. In addition, the findings of the study highlight the need for organisations to put people at the forefront of the digital transformation and to build a human-centric approach (in line with pan-European ethics and common values).
The right digital transformation
Digital transformation processes are transforming our economy and society: disrupting and changing economic activities and changing the labour market. In addition, our social measures remain unaffected: daily activities, such as shopping, interviewing or searching for information, are also changing. The study shows a negative trend: despite the many efforts made by the European Union to encourage the wider use of emerging technologies, businesses across the EU still do not take full advantage of the opportunities in this field and ultimately neglect potential innovations and collaborative projects. Differences between businesses and SMEs further complicate this. A recent study in the report found no evidence that AI is an important part of products offered by 40 % of Europe’s 2830 AI start-ups. In addition, only 20 % of businesses in the EU-28 are considered highly digitalised and there are still many technological opportunities that can be exploited mainly by SMEs.
Skills in the era of digital transformation
The report looks at the professions, sectors and roles that are currently considered to be the most vulnerable to automation and artificial intelligence. For example, the report estimates that the manufacturing and services sector would be severely affected, as 20 million jobs in robot production could be lost by 2030. Embracing the digital transformation has many advantages: it offers the opportunity to improve existing products and develop new products, optimise business processes and increase workers’ skills. The study provides examples of success cases where companies have integrated and benefited from digital transformation products and processes in their organisational flow. All successful approaches shared several elements, including clarity of objectives, co-design procedures, broad
and tailor-made communication with staff and extensive involvement of managers.
The full report is available in English on the website of the European Economic and Social Committee.