The Use of AI-Based Assistance Systems in the Service Sector: Opportunities, Challenges and Applications

Abstract

The growth in digitalization and, above all, the use of artificial intelligence offers major opportunities for companies but also poses substantial challenges. Current technology is beginning to reshape and redistribute the division of labor and the responsibility for decision-making between humans and technological systems. This necessitates new approaches to work design as well as new skills on the part of employees. This paper first considers various scenarios for the future of work and then focuses on the service sector. We examine the challenges that such scenarios represent as well as their potential to increase productivity while also reducing the workload on employees. On the basis of two examples of AI-based assistance in the service sector, we illustrate current and future uses of this technology.