With the advancement of factory automation (FA), many tasks can now be carried out by robots. Although many tasks at manufacturing sites have been automated in this way, office work has been considered difficult to automate. One reason for this is that, unlike manufacturing tasks, where standardization and clarification of standards are important, office work requires judgment and flexible responses on an ongoing basis. However, with the development of digital technology in recent years, it is becoming possible for office work to be carried out by robots as well. Digital labor is a prime example of this. We will consider why digital labor has become so popular, what benefits it brings, and the possibility of it evolving even further in the future.
What is Digital Labor?
Digital labor has been attracting attention as a "robot that works in the office," but when most people think of robots, they probably imagine them working in manufacturing.
Let's take a look at what digital labor is, what it is used for, and what its features are.
The meaning of "digital labor"
Digital labor is written as "Digital Labor" in English, where Labor means worker. In Japanese, it is sometimes translated as virtual intellectual labor, but it may be easier to understand if you think of it as "digital labor." To put it more simply, digital labor is digital technology that works on behalf of people, and from that point of view it is also sometimes described as a robot. To be more specific, it refers to digital robots performing tasks on behalf of people using RPA, AI, or software and services that utilize them. Software robots that automate such tasks are generally called digital labor.
The biggest feature of digital labor is that it is merely a virtual worker. Digital labor is not a system that comprehensively manages tasks through programs, but a software robot that works like a human. Therefore, even if it is introduced, it does not immediately perform tasks automatically, and requires training like a new worker. Just like teaching the tricks of the job, by programming and repeatedly testing, it becomes possible to work more efficiently. Digital labor is attracting attention as a new labor force because it learns tasks like a human and performs tasks as a worker.
Tasks that digital labor excels at
Digital labor works in place of humans, but it does not perform the same tasks as humans. Compared to humans, there are clearly tasks that digital labor is good at and tasks that it is not good at.
Digital labor excels at the following tasks, and can perform them continuously with fewer mistakes, allowing it to outperform humans in efficiency.
- Standardized check and processing tasks
- Repetitive simple tasks
- Work that proceeds according to a set process
Tasks that digital labor is not good at
On the other hand, the following tasks cannot be performed by humans and are not suitable for entrusting to digital labor:
- Tasks that require decisions to be made under different conditions and environments each time
- Tasks that require changes to business processes based on situational judgment
As such, it is clear at present which tasks digital labor is good at and which it is not good at. One day digital labor may be able to perform all tasks like humans, but we are not yet there yet. When utilizing digital labor, it is important to determine which tasks are suitable for entrusting to digital labor.
The difference between digital labor and RPA
Digital labor and RPA are often confused because they both "automate tasks." RPA stands for Robotic Process Automation, which means "automation of tasks by robots." Digital labor, on the other hand, is a virtual worker that performs tasks like a human. By teaching rules and judgment criteria, the accuracy of task execution improves, enabling tasks and judgments closer to those of a human. Another characteristic of digital labor is that it often uses RPA to carry out tasks. It is best to think of RPA as a method for automating tasks, and digital labor as a worker that performs tasks automatically.
Why digital labor is attracting attention
First of all, why has digital labor, or virtual workers, started to attract attention?
There are three main reasons why:
- The need to secure labor
- Advances in AI and its practical applications
- Accelerating digital transformation
Let's take a look at each of these three factors and how they have led to digital labor becoming increasingly popular.
The need to secure labor
The problem of labor shortages is becoming more serious in various fields. According to the Ministry of Economy, the labor force population, which had been on an upward trend until 2018, has remained flat since 2019. In 2022, it decreased by 50,000 people compared to the previous year, and the labor force is expected to turn to a downward trend in the future. In addition, the labor force population counted here is mainly increasing in the 55-64 age group, with a noticeable decrease in those in their 20s and 30s. For these reasons, it is thought that the overall downward trend will accelerate in the future.
As such, with the labor force predicted to become insufficient, it is inevitable that digital labor, which is a worker who replaces humans, will attract attention. In particular, the problem of labor shortages has already been frequently discussed in the manufacturing and logistics industries. In these fields, there are high expectations for digital labor to secure labor, which is already a problem they are facing.
Advances in AI and its practical applications
Clerical work, which often requires timely judgment and flexible responses, was once thought to be something only humans could do. However, advances in AI technology and research into AI learning have made it possible for software robots to carry out these tasks. In this way, virtual workers, which were previously only a dream, can now be put to practical use thanks to advances in digital technology. This has led many companies to turn their attention to digital labor.
Accelerating digital transformation
Amid concerns about Japan's declining competitiveness in the global economy, there is a need to promote digital transformation (DX). DX does not simply mean digitizing the work that has been done up until now, but aims to establish new business models and innovate operations by utilizing digital technology and data. Considering these points, the use of digital labor can be said to be a truly innovative change in operations brought about by digital technology. The introduction and use of digital labor can be said to be a prime example of DX, and it is conceivable that it will become a necessary technology to secure a competitive advantage in the global economy in the future.
Technologies required for the further evolution of digital labor
Digital labor is not a single piece of software because it works as a digital worker. It is expected to evolve further by combining it with multiple programs and technologies. The following two technologies are expected to increase capabilities and improve accuracy by combining them with digital labor or arranging them for easy use.
RPA makes digital labor more efficient
RPA is a method for achieving "automation of work by robots," and digital labor, which is a type of worker, can also use RPA. The greater the accuracy and scope of RPA, the more likely it is that the work of digital labor will become more efficient. In fact, since RPA is the main method used by digital labor to carry out its work, the evolution of RPA is thought to be directly linked to the evolution of digital labor.
AI will expand the scope of application of digital labor
Digital labor incorporates AI to make its own decisions and carry out tasks. In the past, the accuracy of AI's judgments and distinctions was not very high, and its scope of use was limited. However, AI has evolved significantly with the establishment of machine learning methods such as deep learning. In the future, AI will evolve further, and there is a possibility that the range of things it can do will expand. As AI evolves, it is expected that digital labor will be able to make more accurate judgments, closer to those of humans. Until now, digital labor has been able to work much more efficiently than humans in tasks that it excels at. As AI evolves, there is the potential for it to become more efficient in areas where it is weak.
How to use and collaborate with digital labor
Digital labor has already been introduced and used in a variety of fields. However, because it "works in place of humans," some workers are concerned that it could take away their jobs. In what ways will digital labor be able to work alongside humans?
Examples of digital labor use
Digital labor is used in the following areas:
- Entering data into slips and forms in the accounting department and importing payment data into the company's internal system
- Creating quotations, invoices, and proposal templates for the sales department
- Tax return inspection work at financial institutions
- Data management and input work for core systems in the real estate industry
In addition to these tasks, digital labor can be used for a wide range of tasks by selecting tasks that digital labor is currently good at. This could simplify and speed up many types of work.
Collaboration with digital labor
While digital labor can improve efficiency by substituting digital labor for other tasks, workers are concerned that their jobs will be taken away. There are a certain number of people who are resistant to the advancement of automation and efficiency through machines and robots, and the same is true for digital labor. However, the introduction of digital labor will not completely eliminate human jobs. For example, in modern manufacturing, inspections are becoming more automated, and image processing systems are also being used to judge pass/fail. This is expected to improve quality while also alleviating labor shortages.
However, this does not mean that people who perform quality inspections are no longer necessary. In quality control, only humans can decide what is a good product and what level the standards should be set at. In addition, by being able to leave the pass/fail judgment to machines, people can work on improving the inspection process and establishing new inspection methods. These changes make it possible to allocate human labor to tasks such as conducting more advanced inspections to improve quality and trial and error to establish new product inspection methods.
In this way, even as automation by machines and robots progresses, the work done by machines and humans will be divided, and the division of labor will progress to further increase productivity. This will also result in new tasks that must be performed by humans. The same thing is likely to happen with the introduction of digital labor. Digital labor excels at tasks that can be standardized, but new work will be created in which it involves thinking about how to utilize the data obtained from these tasks and deciding the next business direction. This is a task that humans are better at. In this way, the division of labor between humans and digital labor will progress, and the creation of an environment in which higher productivity can be achieved can be said to be an example of a successful introduction of digital labor.
The use of digital labor as a new form of labor force is gaining attention
Digital labor, as workers that exist digitally, can be entrusted with a variety of tasks and can work with far greater efficiency than humans in tasks that they excel at. Amid concerns about labor shortages, digital labor is attracting attention as a new labor force with added value. As AI and RPA, which are important technologies for digital labor, continue to evolve in the future, it is expected that the scope of use of digital labor itself will expand even further.
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Manufacturing and AI: Challenges facing the manufacturing industry and how they can be solved with artificial intelligence | Stratus Blog
