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This seminar explores the evolving landscape of productivity in modern workplaces, particularly amidst the rise of distributed cyborg systems. Traditional management approaches rely on quantifying visible, task-oriented labor, yet contemporary job structures increasingly involve intangible elements, posing challenges even for front-line workers. This necessitates a fundamental reassessment of how we define and apply productivity metrics across the workforce.

Despite calls for emphasising “human” skills like communication and contextualisation, practical barriers persist. Many find that soft skills hold limited sway against AI-driven screening processes, highlighting the need for a nuanced approach to evaluating productivity. Moreover, existing productivity metrics are deeply rooted in power structures, prompting considerations on how these dynamics might shift to empower workers in a world where they have greater ownership over production means.

The seminar delves into pivotal questions regarding the role of generative AI in reshaping productivity paradigms and its potential to supplant existing frameworks. These inquiries, while seemingly abstract, strike at the essence of meaningful work, data ownership, and equitable distribution of benefits. By engaging with these issues, we can pave the way for more inclusive and adaptive approaches to productivity assessment in the age of distributed cyborg systems.