Getting Beyond the AI Hype…
In The End, Human-First Workflow Will Prevail
No matter how good technology gets the reality is that the world will remain largely human. The parading and glorification of artificial intelligence (AI), driven by an announcements-based culture of hype, has yet to see AI coming close to that hype. Unless AI can find a way to override Mother Nature and get past the 100 trillion neuron connections humans have. With similar empirical sensory and consciousness. AI will remain exactly what it is — really good advanced technology in the context of the evolution of automation and civilization. Whereby AI has enormous transformative potential but also a propensity to become dangerous to humanity.
Ultimately, with all new high-flying technology, when the hype subsides, and it always does, gravity will prevail. Market forces will then separate useful AI applications from the not-so-full ones. The noise and the anxiety around AI replacing all human activities related to human-first workflow will die down. Practicality and commonsense will return and natural supply and demand forces will come more into play.
Hype in the history of markets has never been sustainable and it won’t be any different this time. Times and technology always change but human nature remains the same.
Most people don’t understand AI in the evolutionary context of automation technology, and civilization. This misunderstanding, laziness, and unwillingness to learn leads to a culture of wilful ignorance about science and technology. People instead veer for the simple stories, the ones that don’t hurt their heads. They become gullible and resigned to letting the elites deal with it instead. The masses acquiesce power to the elites — telling them what is good for them and becoming the arbiters of their lives. The masses become like oblivious sheep steered by a combination of fascination and ignorance — AI hype becomes a new religion.
Ultimately, when the parade and fascination ends AI will be integrated into our workflow environment based on supply and demand dynamics. Like many other automation technologies have been before.
Adopting new technology, no matter how amazing its potential may seem, is not about upending humans, it’s about improving our lives. Technology serves that purpose through its practical utility to humans — increasing efficiencies and creating value. Technology is an extension of us…made by humans to serve humans and not the other way around.
Increasingly we are seeing a reevaluation and recalibration of businesses toward their technology applications. For example, retailers large and small are making adjustments or doing away with automated self-check-out machines. What was once done believing the new technology would save money and increase profit by eliminating human resources. Is turning out to be costing big operators like Walmart — losing money from increased theft due to a lack of human check-outs. Therefore, many have begun to increase human check-outs and even hire more staff to monitor the floor.
Smaller grocery stores are doing away with self-checkouts altogether because they feel it’s hurting customer intimacy and brand.
For example, on Friday 10 November 2023, Sky News, UK reported: “Supermarket chain Booths ditches self-checkouts and goes back to staffed tills.” “We like to talk to people and we’re proud that we’re moving largely to a place where our customers are served by people, by human beings, so rather than artificial intelligence, we’re going for actual intelligence,” a spokesperson said.
Therefore, the effective use of AI or automation technology in general is being increasingly looked at for its authentic usefulness to the organization. Beyond the knee-jerk reaction to follow the crowd and implement a new technology. Decisions are now being well-considered for the technology’s usefulness and overall contribution to brand value and growth.
AI is clearly going to play a significant role in the future of work, so understanding how to optimally implement it into future workflow is critical. Here are a few common sense tips to make the process smooth and rewarding.
First, recognize that machines can’t ever be human, and don’t buy into science fiction. Focus on what specific AI applications can do for your business and also any negative side effects that come along with it. Proceed by evaluating your current inefficiencies through the process of applied intelligence and formulate a business strategy based on evidence and analysis.
One example is using AI to gather information on customers, like Booths did. They used data gathering/AI insight tools to survey their customers. The Grocer found customer service scores had fallen to record lows, it also said that a decline in self-checkouts added up to long queues at the remaining staffed checkouts, which caused more customers frustration.
AI shouldn’t be seen as a new religion you have to adopt or something that can do everything, because it can’t. Applying AI with more precision will get better results. AI-powered technology can meaningfully help human-first workflow, and optimize human-machine partnerships.
The next thing is to engage in strategy development through the applied intelligence process of discovery, letting evidence and facts guide decision-making. Not fascination and hype. For example, you may learn if AI could meaningfully expand your offering.
At the centre of every potential transformational and technological advancement is the opportunity to capitalize on the new automation. So discover how AI can contribute to new capabilities, and help with innovation in developing new internal processes and offerings that will enhance brand worth. Consider how specific AI applications could enhance the user experience, and improve operational efficiency. Analyze first the implications of any moves you are considering. Be purposeful and measured, put strategy first and action based on strategy.
For example, examine how different AI tools might help your creative team innovate and create better outputs; faster and more cost-effectively. How can AI help you gain critical knowledge to enhance your industry-leading position? Reestablish relevance or disrupt incumbents.
For the intelligent manager, AI can be best utilized to fill certain tasks significantly better than any human can, but it is nonsensical to drive AI to replace all human activity in the workflow.
AI can be integrated into an enterprise-wide dashboard/platform for firm-wide strategy visibility at all levels, ensuring everyone is on the same page. As new information and insights are generated quickly, business decisions can be made to maximize the firm’s competitiveness in the global marketplace.
Making moves to stay ahead of the competition and understanding key performance indicators can also be very helpful in avoiding those inevitable hazardous potholes in the road.
Always be aware of what the big tech world is trying to sell you, it’s in their interest that you buy more technology whether it’s good for your business or not. Put your firm’s interest first and start the process by building a foundational applied intelligence-based strategy. Use the process to determine what technology works for your business. Which will ultimately help your growth on the macro demand side of things. Strategy is paramount, it will help you decide what critical AI technology levers to pull. A good business strategy will integrate AI into workflow, avoiding getting into the hype train around AI replacing all human work activity.
Create an applied intelligence AI-driven comprehensive system for real-time cost-benefit analysis in the micro and macro, underpinned by a robust risk management mechanism. A holistically integrated management system that can apply rigorous monitoring to mitigate risk and maintain the ability to follow through and deliver, is critical. Particularly for the avoidance strategy drift.
By applying a systematic applied intelligence strategy approach you are also opting for a more disciplined approach to measuring return on AI, and other investments too. The most likely outcome is better and smoother transformational growth and profit performance while managing risk. The optimization of human-AI partnerships represents the future of human-first workflow.
