Smart managers are the backbone of any business – but when leadership is running on empty, things can start falling through the cracks. When tasks begin piling up and managers’ attention is pulled in every direction, AI tools can step in to help.

Leadership roles in departments from payroll to administration services face up to 96% chance for computerization in the near future. But automation overhaul isn’t exactly a new concept; retail workers, service industry staff and everything in between has fallen risk to AI-replacement. Why should managerial work be any different? Machines can gather information, analyze the data, learn from past events, and most importantly, recommend solutions in the same way a human manager could, albeit much faster. But reliance on such programs doesn’t necessarily mean we are without responsibility; too much pressure on automation can lead to disastrous outcomes.

For Amazon, this took form in their “state of the art” hiring AI that was built to help fast-track the hiring process. With already over 600,000 employees on payroll, hiring is a big job for Amazon and this AI algorithm was expected to change the game. Until it didn’t. In order to teach the algorithm, it was fed ten years worth of resumes to identify successful hiring patterns. The previously male-dominated industry was evident in these successful hires and as development continued, the algorithm began to pick up on the pattern of gender discrimination. By 2018, the program was scrapped as the AI began penalizing resumes including the word “women” and filtering out listings of all-female colleges.

Hiring is perhaps one of the most personal and one of the most difficult of all business operations, especially for small business. Today, over half of small businesses use some form of tech to help move along recruiting, but smart leaders know there’s no substitute for a meaningful, in-person interview. The takeaway for automated management and its imitations is along a similar vein to AI in any other position – it simply lacks the human touch. So when office managers and project managers are spending their creative energies on mundane and repeatable tasks, they cannot away lead their team effectively. Here’s the AI that changes everything.

AI gives us a great opportunity to truly “work smarter, not harder.” Products specifically designed to reshape office management, like Managed By Q, turn regular tasks into a localized and cohesive platform. In this program, managing scheduling from maintenance to interviews is a snap, employees may submit requests with minimal workflow interruptions, and booking, communication, and billing are handled on a single place. Project management standards get a new look as well with AI tools that help break up even the most complicated projects into simple, easily achievable tasks. iCEO is one such platform that not only helps keep traditional employees on task and in communication but also communicated with freelancers and gig workers to manage progress that keeps everyone on the same page.

More than four in five businesses believe they could benefit from bringing in better tech, but that’s only half the battle. In spite of this, one in five businesses thinks it’s just too much of a hassle to buy and implement new tech. Here’s where to start. This infographic details the powerful new tools of the trade for managers, how they are helping us lead our teams better, refocusing daily operations, and finally giving us the time to concentrate on what matters. Will AI replace your manager? Let us know in the comments.