Artificial Intelligence (AI) isn’t out to replace people in the workplace.
Just ask Sterling NT which has been working to integrate AI software into the company to handle complex yet mundane data-crunching tasks, so staff can spend time more productively across multiple sites and contracts.
Sterling NT Director Kamal Ali said the company has over 300 professional staff on its books from horticulturalists and cleaners to plumbers and builders.
“As our rosters became more complex it was increasingly difficult to manually strike the perfect balance when allowing for everything from overtime rates and enterprise bargaining agreements to skills mix, flexible working arrangements and regulatory compliance,” he said.
“We wanted to make the business more effective, competitive and robust which is when the potential of an artificial intelligence software platform became clear.”
Sterling NT, which was co-funded by the Northern Territory Government’s Business Innovation Program, worked with Australian-based AI company Daitum to design and build a bespoke artificial intelligence solution for a complex business problem.
“AI is great at quickly weighing up vast amounts of data, while considering a much broader range of factors than anyone could juggle in their head,” said Mr Ali. “It determines your best course of action, such as optimising staff rosters to best meet that demand.
“For example, our grounds maintenance supervisors spend a considerable amount of their day on the road overseeing work teams and conducting audits. With AI integration, our supervisors are able to reduce non-productive time between sites for themselves and their teams, while meeting broad ranging requirements.”
Mr Ali admits artificial intelligence doesn’t always get it right and there will always be input from people to fine tune the system. Still, that’s not a reason for a business to remain still.
“Think back to before Excel, when accountants spent their days adding up columns of numbers. You’d struggle to find an accountant today who’d give up Excel and go back to the old ways. Like with anything new there’s always a transition period, and that’s an important part of AI integration.
“The business has grown over the last 31 years of operation in the Territory but now it is imperative to use smart technology to achieve additional efficiency in our challenging market and prepare our workforce for the future of contract service delivery.”
