Artificial Intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies will replace 69 percent of work currently done by managers by 2024.
The projection by Gartner, the research and advisory company, comes as AI as well as virtual personal assistants and chatbots are rapidly making headway into the workplace.
“The role of manager will see a complete overhaul in the next four years,” said Helen Poitevin, research vice-president at Gartner.
She said currently, managers often needed to spend time filling in forms, updating information and approving workflows but by using AI to automate these tasks, they could spend less time managing transactions.
This time could be invested on learning, performance management and goal setting.
Gartner forecast AI and emerging technologies to change the role of the manager and allow employees to extend their degree of responsibility and influence, without taking on management tasks.
Application leaders focused on innovation and AI are now accountable for improving worker experience, developing worker skills and building organisational competency in responsible use of AI.
“Application leaders will need to support a gradual transition to increased automation of management tasks as this functionality becomes increasingly available across more enterprise applications,” Poitevin said.
Meanwhile the emergence of AI and other technologies could come as a major boost for people with disabilities.
AI and other emerging technologies are making work more accessible for these disadvantaged employees.
Gartner estimates that organisations actively employing people with disabilities have 89 percent higher retention rates, a 72 percent increase in employee productivity and a 29 percent increase in profitability.
In addition, Gartner said by 2023, the number of people with disabilities employed will triple, due to AI and emerging technologies reducing barriers to access.
Poitevin noted some organisations are successfully using AI to make work accessible for those with special needs.
For example, restaurants are piloting AI robotics technology that enables paralysed employees to control robotic waiters remotely.
“With technologies like braille-readers and virtual reality, organisations are more open to opportunities to employ a diverse workforce,” Poitevin concluded.