Tampa Bay companies say AI will help workers, not replace them

Artificial intelligence burst onto the scene in a big way last year after the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Even casual internet users have asked the chatbot to help them craft emails, generate illustrations and answer philosophical questions.

While tech companies have been studying AI for decades, many types of businesses are jumping aboard, said Joe Liberatore, CEO and president of the professional staffing services company, Kforce.

“We ultimately have this vision that technology can replace a lot of the more routine and more basic things that individuals do,” Liberatore said.

Two-thirds of job seekers said they are using AI in the workplace, according to a June survey from Kforce. This trend can be seen across the Tampa Bay area in industries ranging from marketing to manufacturing.

• At Postcardmania, a direct mail advertising company, employees are encouraged to use applications like ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini or Jasper AI to assist with copywriting.

• The electronics manufacturing company Jabil is using Robotics Processing Automation to help maintain systems and data.

• Kforce is exploring ways to automate parts of the recruiting process so employees can spend less time on clerical tasks and more time interacting with clients.

• Kobie Marketing is using AI to analyze customer behavior to help brands build loyalty programs.

• The data privacy solutions firm Spirion developed and patented a Sensitive Data Finder that uses AI and machine learning to identify and safeguard sensitive information.

As AI has become more widespread, so have fears that it could eventually take over human jobs. But local business leaders say they’re determined to use the technology to make workers’ lives easier.

“It’s going to allow them to do their jobs more effectively and allow them to focus their time on being creative and strategic versus down in the weeds, putting manual effort for things that are redundant,” said Rachel Bicking, executive vice president of innovation at Kobie Marketing.

The challenge will be convincing workers to see AI as a friend, not a foe.

For years, executives at Jabil have repeated the phrase “the future of manufacturing will see employees working beside machines that can learn, think and act,” said Gerald “JJ” Creadon, executive vice president of operations.

Embracing communication and transparency about the company’s long-term AI goals has ensured a smooth rollout, he said.

At Spirion, employees are required to sign an agreement affirming their participation and commitment to AI-powered processes. The company has initiated various workshops on topics like chatbot options, data hygiene requirements, and security governance and compliance standards.

“These workshops garnered several AI-related projects that keep Spirion’s technology unique and relevant in an ever-changing security landscape,” said Kevin Coppins, CEO and president.

Liberatore from Kforce compared the rise of AI to the advent of the internet. Many people initially saw it as a threat to workers, but now it’s just a part of everyday life.

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“Will roles be replaced by AI wholesale? Probably not,” he said. “But will individuals that know how to leverage AI in doing their job replace individuals who don’t learn and don’t adapt? Absolutely.”

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