The AI Tactician and the Human Strategist

ChatGPT suggested I should open this article telling you how I was consumed by a vast ‘dynamic landscape’ or ‘rich tapestry’ of thoughts about the implications of AI.

I’ll spare you that, but coming up with frameworks for thinking about and talking about things like AI does honestly keep me awake some nights. What’s the right way to think about how AI fits into a workflow, and what’s a neat way to talk about what AI is great at and what humans are great at?

What I came up with is Tactics vs Strategy. Stick with me.

Imagine a game of chess. AI can analyse past games, recognise patterns, and make tactical moves based on its vast database of knowledge and experience. Similarly, in engineering tasks, AI suggests solutions by leveraging its repository of shapes, processes, and established patterns. Whether it's light-weighting a component or optimising a design, AI excels at automating repetitive tasks rooted in known behaviours.

On the flip side, humans possess an interesting ability to take in a diverse range of inputs and synthesise innovative strategies. Imagine then, not a chessboard but rows of model soldiers and armies. As skilled strategists, humans excel at weaving together various tactics into a cohesive and original ‘battle’ plan (for want of a better phrase). When faced with complex engineering challenges, humans possess the creativity to combine AI-generated suggestions with other methodologies, resulting in bespoke solutions tailored to the specific context.

The crux lies in understanding the distinction between tactics and strategy and harnessing their complementary strengths. AI serves as a powerful tool for automating routine tasks and providing data-driven insights based on established patterns. However, it's the human touch that adds the element of strategy – the ability to discern which AI technologies to integrate and how to adapt them to novel situations.

This interplay between AI and human ingenuity is reshaping industries, including engineering and manufacturing. Thinking of AI as a tactical ally rather than a replacement for human expertise is a useful way of looking for opportunities to leverage the technology. It's not about pitting one against the other but rather recognising a symbiotic relationship and leveraging AI to navigate the complexities of modern problem-solving.

Having worked in education previously, I always come back to thinking about things in the context of teaching. The distinction between tactics and strategy becomes particularly pronounced there and I think shows us where we need to focus our efforts in preparing students for what jobs will look like in the very near future.

Consider the teaching of complex mathematical concepts. Equations and simulations serve as tactical tools. AI excels at swiftly solving these equations or running simulations. However, the whole essence of education lies not merely in the application of formulas or the execution of simulations but in the cultivation of critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Right?

The key then is making sure we’re not just focussing on teaching these tactics when training students and setting them up for success. AI is great at those bottom few levels of Bloom's taxonomy. The direction of travel is that AI will eventually automate all these tactical tasks, that’s inevitable.

Here's where strategy comes in. Deciding which simulation to run, when to execute it, or which combination of equations to solve requires a deeper level of strategic thinking - one that transcends computational efficiency. While AI may excel at crunching numbers, its ability to devise elegant strategies for tackling unfamiliar problems, for the moment, remains limited. Unlike humans, AI struggles to navigate the nuanced landscape of decision-making, often resorting to brute force methods when faced with novel challenges.

Thus, in the context of education and how to teach the use of AI. I think it’s useful to think about AI as a tactical tool which must be complemented by human guidance, fostering the development of strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities essential for navigating the complexities of real-world scenarios.

So there you have it, my take on AI and the distinction between tactics and strategy. I hope this framework might be a valuable mental model as you navigate discussions and collaborations with your peers and teams.?

?

?

?

?

?