General and Operations Managers

General and operations managers do many tasks – for example, they review sales or financial reports, prepare staff schedules, and monitor suppliers ^{[1] [1]}. Today, many of these routine tasks are now aided by software. For instance, cloud-based scheduling tools use AI to build work schedules automatically ^{[2] [3]}.

Companies also use AI analytics to sift through activity reports or inventory data much faster than a person alone ^[2]. In supply chains, Reuters reports that firms are using AI “to interpret real-time developments, optimize procurement decisions, and improve resilience,” which means managers get rapid alerts instead of manual data review ^[2]. Despite these tools, managers still guide the final decisions.

Experts note that AI can handle routine analysis or monitoring, but humans must check results and direct strategy ^{[2] [2]}. Tasks that need creativity or people skills – like planning a marketing promotion or setting goals with a team – aren’t replaced by AI. In those areas, managers still use their judgment and experience.

AI tools for management tasks are becoming widely available, which can speed up adoption. Many schedule-planning and HR platforms today include automation features to save managers time ^{[3] [2]}. Big companies are already investing heavily in AI: for example, one report projects global supply-chain AI spending will jump from $2.7 billion to $55 billion by 2029 ^[2].

This suggests firms see economic benefits – like saving labor hours and cutting costs – when tasks are automated. However, putting in place AI systems costs money and requires training workers. Smaller organizations might adopt more slowly because of these costs.

Social and legal factors also matter. Reuters warns that companies must watch labor laws and privacy when using AI for things like scheduling or performance reviews ^[2]. Overall, experts say AI is best used as a helpful assistant.

It can take over some data-heavy or routine work so humans can focus on the human parts of managing – things like leadership, creativity, and personal judgment, which still matter most ^{[2] [2]}.