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This paper reports the panel discussion on the topic of artificial intelligence (AI) and robots in our lives. This discussion was held at the Digitization of the Individual (DOTI) workshop at the International Conference on Information Systems in 2019. Three scholars (in alphabetical order: Ting-Peng Liang, Lionel Robert and Suprateek Sarker) who have done AI- and robot-related research (to varying degrees) were invited to participate in the panel discussion. The panel was moderated by Manuel Trenz.

This paper introduces the topic, chronicles the responses of the three panelists to the questions the workshop chairs posed and summarizes their responses, such that readers can have an overview of research on AI and robots in individuals' lives and insights about future research directions.

The panelists discussed four questions with regard to their research experiences on AI- and robot-related topics. They expressed their viewpoints on the underlying nature, potential and effects of AI in work and personal life domains. They also commented on the ethical dilemmas for research and practice and provided their outlook for future research in these emerging fields.

This paper aggregates the panelists' viewpoints, as expressed at the DOTI workshop. Crucial ethical and theoretical issues related to AI and robots in both work and personal life domains are addressed. Promising research directions to these cutting-edge research fields are also proposed.

This chapter seeks to identify the challenges faced by virtual teams and offers solutions to meet those challenges. Basic underlining concepts behind virtual teams are provided along with the most popular forms of virtual teams. Organizational, crowdsourcing, and peer production/online communities are the most common forms of virtual teams. Understanding these basic concepts will help HRD and HRM professionals to develop virtual teams that are suitable for middle- and low-skilled workers. The chapter also presents the various types of communication technologies used in virtual along with the pros and cons associated with each type.

There are many implications for middle-skill and low-skill workers as emerging technologies and trends continue to evolve related to using technology in the workplace. Managers and HRD professionals are tasked with ensuring that employees can meet organizational goals and objectives that are in sync with the emerging needs of a contemporary workforce. As the twenty-first century continues to evolve, managers and HRD professionals must remain current in strategies and practices that are effective in managing people. This chapter provides insight and suggestions to researchers on the current trends in the field that could benefit from further research.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is defined as the ability of a computer system to sense, reason, and respond to the environment. Computer systems with advanced AI can engage in sensing, reasoning, and responding in the most complex and dynamic environments. AI systems are being adapted rapidly by organizations to help manage their workforce. The reason for the popularity of AI is twofold. One, organizations now have access to huge amounts of data (i.e., big data) about their business operations which can be leveraged to make more efficient and effective management decisions. Two, advances in AI now afford organizations the ability to capture and process this data in real-time. Organizations can now incorporate the latest information into their decision making even in the most complex and dynamic competitive markets. Despite this, management through AI also presents new challenges to employees who are now both directed and held accountable by AI.

The introduction of rapidly changing technologies into the workplace has made it more important for organization leaders to understand how to manage technology, middle-skill, and low-skill employees in the workplace. The knowledge of employees within these levels in the workplace is the least known. There are varying levels of influence in workplaces, and the dynamic between people and technology has implications for human resource professionals throughout the world as they grapple with change from technological advancement and human improvement.

This chapter explored how people and technology are managed in the workplace. It examines how data and data analytics in AI, human resource information system (HRIS), learning content management systems, learning management systems, and talent management software have become major components of human resource and workforce development. Middle-skill, low-skill, and disadvantaged employees are being asked to use their knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) to evaluate and understand technology systems, technology resources, and equipment in the workplace. HRD and HRM professionals must understand the competencies and resources needed to achieve harmony and balance between people and technology use in the workplace.

A majority of human resource executives report that their inability to attract and retain middle-skills talent frequently affects their firm’s performance. Middle-skills jobs, those that require more than a high school diploma, less than a four-year college degree, and pay above the national living wage, account for nearly half of labor demanded in the United States. As technology transforms the workplace, digital skills are becoming increasingly important and in higher demand. In today’s dynamic workforce, managers are facing managing and developing interdisciplinary and multilevel teams while combating a technical skills divide (lack of qualified workers), making it difficult to recruit and retain a high-technology, middle-skill-level workforce. This chapter focuses on addressing unique challenges relevant to recruitment, upskilling, and management best practices as they relate to the integration of technology and middle-skill-level workers in a highly successful workplace.

This chapter will address the graying of the workplace which is forcing a paradigm shift in workplace hiring policies. The “baby boomers” generation with their large number in population and years of work experience play a large role in shaping the American workplace. As this large group of workers is aging, managers are faced with the need for greater understanding of not only how to accept but also how to reskill and integrate emerging workplace technologies into this older and experienced workforce. Additionally, HR researchers have suggested that organizations undergo a cultural shift in order to develop ways to compete globally using technology. There have been several articles regarding creating people advantage since 2011. Understanding the benefits of creating people advantage within organizations will be described in this chapter.