If you've used a computer, you've almost certainly used Microsoft Word.
The aptly named word processor is one of the most influential computer programs in history. From schools to businesses, it has become a daily part of the lives of millions of users around the world.
The word achieved global ubiquity because it offered something unique. It was the first word processing software to incorporate what Microsoft described as the WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) design philosophy.
Last week, on October 25, 2024, Microsoft Word turned 41 years old. It's been a long time since we changed the game by offering WYSIWYG. So what does the future hold for the world's most popular processor?
Processing a milestone
Change is on the horizon for Word. But it's not because we no longer need word processing software.
Digital documents are the basis of the daily work of around 1.2 billion people. Knowledge workers—professionals who create value for their organizations through expertise, critical thinking, and interpersonal skills—use documents every day. Most need some type of business document to turn the work they do into deliverable value.
So what is changing?
We humans still need processors like Word. But in the era of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation, word processors no longer need humans like they used to. The professionals (us) are being disrupted, not the processors. And this is a good thing.
Knowledge is power.
Large companies are the product of many small processes. But small processes can take a big toll on people.
Repetitive tasks not only negatively impact a company by absorbing hours of experts' time, but they also reduce employee happiness and productivity. And that's why there's so much buzz around AI and generative AI (GenAI) for businesses. AI could add £119 billion to the UK economy in workplace productivity alone, saving professionals up to 2.9 hours a day, according to new research.
AI and Generative AI (GenAI) are immensely powerful. But it's nowhere near capable of doing what knowledge workers do, which requires human nuance, understanding, and a deep appreciation of context. Knowledge workers solve unique problems every day. AI is only effective when fed large amounts of accurate information and context.
However, there are areas where AI and automation excel.
Manually managing knowledge and generating value through processors like Word is a time-consuming, but essential, daily task for professionals around the world. New technology platforms are filling the gap between AI and human knowledge work by automating document generation.
The impact of this is twofold. First, by increasing the efficiency with which employees can complete small tasks, experts can get on with the things that offer real value. Second, companies themselves reduce the potential risk caused by human error, saving money and protecting their reputation.
Banks, for example, are document-based. Every financial institution has huge libraries of records, sales sheets, applications, and more. There is a lot of information and there is no margin for error. As a result, UK banks and fintechs spend £21.4 billion an hour fighting fraud and financial crime, bringing the UK's annual compliance bill to £38.3 billion.
We are entering the second wave of innovation in AI. (Which may not be as exciting or flashy as the first one.) But in this era it's clearer exactly where AI and automation can have the biggest impact: allowing knowledge workers to focus on the things that create value and empowering businesses to be more efficient and secure.
Get your documents tracked
Knowledge workers – whether they work in a bank, a law firm or a consultancy – have been forced to become masters of tools like Microsoft Word. To construct a building, an engineer first had to lay the foundation with documents.
But this is no longer necessary.
Microsoft Word is 41 years old and is not in danger of disappearing. But his future looks completely different from his past. Document work is being automated. And this means that we, the users, are being liberated. Or perhaps it is the Word that is being released from us. Documents are here to stay. But documentary work is not.
We list the best alternatives to Microsoft Office.