Ethos Embraces AI: An EPIC Day of Innovation
Last Tuesday (July 2nd) the entirety of Ethos gathered at Dublin's iconic Croke Park, where our EPIC innovation day was held. This event marked a significant leap forward for Ethos as we explored the transformative potential of AI in engineering. Guest speakers, collaborative workshops and panel discussions brought to light the power and impact AI can have in assisting us in our innovation process.
Inspiration from the BCG Study
To see the power of AI, Ethos was guided by Maryrose Lyons (founder of the Institute Of Ai Studies ) who informed an audience of 180+ about a Boston Consulting Group (BCG) study, which highlighted AI's remarkable potential to improve work quality and productivity. Their research with over 750 consultants, who were divided into three groups:
Each group was tasked with completing a series of complex, knowledge-intensive tasks. The study revealed that consultants using AI tools produced 40% higher quality results, completed 12.2% more tasks, and worked 25.1% faster. Particularly noteworthy was the 43% improvement among initially lower performers. Inspired by these results, Maryrose Lyons was tasked with helping us at Ethos to see for ourselves how AI could assist us in our work.
Ethos' AI Experiment
We aimed to replicate these promising results with our own team. Two types of groups were created. One group had access to AI tools like ChatGPT, while the other did not. Our goals were to measure improvements in work quality, productivity, and overall satisfaction. The task in question, was not an engineering problem, but rather how to implement a reverse mentoring programme at Ethos.
Key Findings of Ethos' Experiment
Quality Improvement: Each group anonymously submitted their work, which was scored against key performance markers. The groups using AI produced results that were 25.54% higher in quality compared to those without AI access.
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Happiness and Satisfaction: The AI-assisted group reported higher satisfaction with their work, as reflected in improved Net Promoter Scores (NPS). This was of significant importance to Ethos' management team, seeing it as a positive that AI tools not only boost work quality but also enhance the overall work experience.
Human Interaction and Collaboration: Interestingly, the group without AI focused more on in-depth thinking and process-oriented approaches, valuing human interaction and collaboration. In contrast, the AI task force, while efficient, sometimes produced results that were quick but perceived as lacking depth.
John Coroner , a director at Ethos, remarked, “The results of the EPIC Innovation Day are promising and align with the findings of the BCG study. AI tools like ChatGPT have the potential to revolutionise how we approach tasks, improving both quality and efficiency.”
Future Integration of AI at Ethos Engineering
Looking ahead, Ethos plans to further integrate AI into our workflows, leveraging these tools to drive innovation and excellence. The success of the EPIC Innovation Day is a significant step towards a future where AI plays a pivotal role in engineering.
Alison Heffernan MBS , Head of People at Ethos , highlighted the importance of reverse mentoring during the event. “This practice, which we are reigniting, not only fosters learning but also showcases the innovative spirit within our team,”.
Next Steps
Ethos recognises that we are early in our AI adoption journey. As we move forward, our goal is to blend AI capabilities with human ingenuity to create collaborative, impactful results. This balanced approach will enable us to harness the strengths of both AI and human creativity, driving even greater innovation and effectiveness in our projects.