AI use becomes mainstream in Bengaluru workplaces as firms push employees to upskill

Bengaluru: The use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, once viewed with apprehension, has now become the norm in the workplace. Employers are actively promoting their adoption to speed up productivity.

Many firms in Bengaluru have purchased paid versions of AI tools and are urging employees, even those in non-technical roles, to upskill through in-house training or external courses. In some offices, AI use is linked to performance. A machine learning engineer, who works at a startup in HSR Layout, recalls how a coworker was commended during a town hall for his adept use of AI.

Sanjit (name changed), who manages cloud infrastructure for a company on Outer Ring Road, says his firm tracks AI metrics. “If you haven’t used Cursor in a while, your manager gets an email! Even our dashboard monitors output, which impacts performance ratings,” he explains. Despite the indirect pressure, he calls AI “an enabler” that has boosted his productivity by 40%. “I handle the thinking and logic for preparing technical documents. And I use AI to polish the format,” he explains.

Aarushi (name changed), a developer in Nagawara, says AI tools aren’t fully reliable but help her write, test, and debug code faster. “Sometimes I would log out at midnight. Now I finish on time and have evenings free for badminton and movies,” she says.

AI platforms are also being used for basic legal vetting of company documents, with a professional later reviewing the results. This approach is called “human in the loop”, says an employee of an Electronic City firm.

Beyond tech corridors

Jeevan Jayaram, a copy supervisor at a digital marketing agency in Domlur, says his firm uses around 15 AI tools. “My team’s AI usage is over 50%. Our work has shifted from purely writing to a mix of prompting and refining a brand’s USP,” he says. Faster output drives more business. Earlier they handled three or four clients at a time. Now, they can take on five or six.

Some PR agencies mandate learning ChatGPT. Chetan, a communications professional, attended a workshop on building custom GPTs for clients, followed by a certification course. He has completed three courses to monitor and prepare client coverage, and understand news tonality. Quicker turnaround allows him to start his work at 8 am instead of 6 am, he says. 

Amogh Ravindra, who runs a design and production house in Kengeri, says his team recently used the ElevenLabs platform to clone a voice when an artiste was not available to re-record a word last minute. Using Midjourney, they once generated outdoor scenery and a hand movement for an ad film. He says the process needs a lot of iterations and saves no more than an hour daily. Talking of the flip side, he says with clients accepting AI, budgets have nearly halved.

For talent acquisition managers like Kurian Thomas, AI helps in scanning 10 resumes in under 30 seconds and providing feedback to help him shortlist candidates. “This leaves me with more time to talk to a candidate,” he says.

Shortcomings

But these interviewees recognise the limitations of AI. In communications, AI falls short of interpreting customer behaviour, which is important for brands. Companies are also training staff on safe usage. They advise them to refrain from uploading source code, or confidential client data (such as projected revenue). A marketing professional feels companies need to bring in clear guidelines on AI usage, as some managers view collaborating with AI as “taking shortcuts”.