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Fujitsu Highlights Artificial Intelligence as Driving Force behind Workplace of the Future

News facts:

  • New whitepaper commissioned by Fujitsu examines the workplace of 2025- focusing on social change, technology evolution, environmental impact, business considerations and demographic shifts
  • Companies are encouraged to prepare for pervasive Artificial Intelligence and always-connected workers, with flexible working as the norm
  • Company reputations will stand or fall based on how IT can be used to create a positive employee experience - and the companies that don’t start focusing on this now will be left behind
Sydney, November 02, 2017 – Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming one of the key drivers in changing the face of the workplace by 2025, and many of today’s working practices, productivity tools and physical environments will become obsolete over the next eight years, according to a recent whitepaper created for Fujitsu by leading independent research firm Pierre Audoin Consultants (PAC).

The whitepaper highlights that although many businesses are already struggling to keep up with employees’ changing workstyle preferences, they should be planning for an era in which AI is pervasive, workers are always connected, freelance and flexible work are commonplace, and traditional industry systems are broken down and reinvented.

Fujitsu commissioned PAC to explore the question ‘What will an effective workplace strategy look like in 2025?’. The resulting white paper ‘Workplace 2025’ focuses on social change, technology evolution, environmental impact, business considerations and demographic shifts as the main factors reshaping the future requirements of the workplace.

The intelligent workplace and the unstoppable march of Artificial Intelligence

A key whitepaper prediction highlights the unstoppable rise of AI. PAC analysts predict that the pace of change will continue to accelerate between now and 2025, and will impact all aspects of future workplaces. AI is already capable of an ever-growing range of tasks, and starting to have far-reaching impact on almost every aspect of the workplace and how people live and work.

Ramanan Ramakrishna, Head of Service Innovation and Portfolio at Fujitsu EMEIA, comments: “In order to cater to the needs of today’s multi-generational workforce, each with its diverse needs and expectations, it is important for businesses of all sizes to plan right now and invest in their future workplace strategy. This is a crucial step to remain relevant whilst retaining employees and providing a consistent digital user experience both for employees and the enterprise as a whole. With more technologies such as AI being readied for prime time, we are starting to see the emergence of a more personalised user experience which dynamically adapts to recognise context, location and preferences. These technologies, when coupled with virtual agents, voice control and wearables, are now leading to a more seamless, immersive and collaborative experience. If enterprises are to keep pace and create an adaptive framework for the workplace of the future, they will need to develop a vision of the critical roles and skills they will need in the medium- to long-term range in order to effectively plan and lay the foundations for everything from the implementation of office space and infrastructure, to the technical skills they will need to build and support a workforce that will be reshaped by AI.”

Fujitsu recommends that an effective workplace strategy for 2025 and beyond should be based around the pervasive use of AI-powered systems throughout the working day. AI will free up employees to focus on more complex, interesting and value-add activities, as well as provide support via intelligent assistants, help forge new business connections based on a machine-determined best match of skills, deliver a highly personalised, dynamic and context-based experience for work-day task scheduling, and use real-time dynamic routing to avoid traffic congestion as well as optimise journeys and modes of transport. Employees working in offices will be dynamically allocated hot desks close to colleagues with whom they interact the most frequently, and digital assistants will take care of calendar scheduling and administrative tasks such as travel booking, while wearable devices will help people authenticate and gain access to information and systems anywhere, anytime.

The whitepaper predicts that businesses can expect a transformative effect on their workplace driven by changing demographics, the rise of AI and the disappearance of the traditional office environment. Workplace 2025 whitepaper author, PAC Research Director, Nick Mayes comments: “The majority of organisations are starting to lay the right foundations to future-proof their workplace – for example by introducing technologies such as digital virtual assistants – while the move towards the ‘digital workplace’ is being driven by business leaders as well as IT heads.”

However, the whitepaper also warns that businesses today must start to foster a culture of innovation and collaboration, both inside and outside their organisation, and highlights that outdated technology and outmoded working practices can stifle productivity and demotivate employees.

Businesses need to make a start in developing a vision of their future workplace

Forward-looking businesses are already developing a vision of their future workplace, and making plans to embrace the different role played by employees in a workforce reshaped by AI. Fujitsu recommends that this vision extend to future processes and working practices, and technology should be viewed as a tool to address business needs, rather than a standalone solution.
Notes to editors

The Workplace 2025 whitepaper, commissioned by Fujitsu and produced by Pierre Audoin Consultants, is available online here.

Online resources

About Fujitsu

Fujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company offering a full range of technology products, solutions and services. Approximately 155,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE: 6702) reported consolidated revenues of 4.5 trillion yen (US$40 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017. For more information, please see http://www.fujitsu.com.

About Fujitsu Australia and New Zealand

Fujitsu Australia and New Zealand is a leading service provider of business, information technology and communications solutions. We partner with our customers to consult, design, build, operate and support business solutions. From strategic consulting to application and infrastructure solutions and services, Fujitsu Australia and New Zealand have earned a reputation as the single supplier of choice for leading corporate and government organisations. Fujitsu Australia Limited and Fujitsu New Zealand Limited are wholly owned subsidiaries of Fujitsu Limited (TSE: 6702). See www.fujitsu.com/au.

Media contacts

Collin Duff-Tytler
Marketing Programs and Communications Manager
Fujitsu Australia and New Zealand

Phone: Phone: +61 2 9113 9346
Mobile: Mobile: +61 409 953 349
E-mail: E-mail: collin.duff-tytler@au.fujitsu.com


All other company or product names mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Information provided in this press release is accurate at time of publication and is subject to change without advance notice.

Date: 02 November, 2017
City: Sydney