Facing Off with Artificial Intelligence
It’s probably one of the most spoken but least understood buzz words today – Artificial Intelligence. Few can truly distinguish the difference between this new, and upcoming technology – and Skynet. In most cases, the value we place on a new technology sometimes falls victim to the naysayers before the technology even has a chance to prove itself in a changing world.
I decided to write this post not to educate my feed on what IS artificial intelligence but provide my point of view on what it is most definitely NOT, or at least NOT YET.
So, shall we?
Artificial Intelligence is NOT meant to relieve you from thinking
I am a strong believer that nothing can or should ever replace human thinking. It’s the same belief that validates a human pilot behind a yoke in an airplane, a human doctor controlling robotics in an operation, a human therapist helping a patient through a traumatic experience. Some things will just not go away – and one of them is human thinking. But what can change, is how we can improve our thinking or thought-enduring process. Artificial Intelligence can be this catalyst to broaden our thinking from just a few scenarios in a short period of time, to many more scenarios in a shorter period of time. Do we then become dependent on artificial intelligence to think for us, or do we become better thinkers because of artificial intelligence? My bet is on the latter.
Artificial Intelligence is NOT meant to make big decisions for you
On the same lines of how human thinking is not meant to be replaced by artificial intelligence, the same approach applies to decision-making. I believe that we can happily and comfortably delegate minor decisions to artificial intelligence. But what we should also appreciate is that most decision-making tends to be in a decision tree process. You make a series of fewer, less impactful decisions that channel you to the fewer, higher impacting decisions. Do we just delegate them all? No – but artificial intelligence can use Big Data and a series of historical trends and data analyses to narrow the decisions for us to bring a specific set of results. One can argue that we can be doomed from the first decision itself in that case – fair enough, but would you rather rely on a scientific, unbiased, technology to help you cull the noise or rely on your gut instinct to make the wrong first step without considering the possibilities? Enough said.
Artificial Intelligence is NOT meant to be a destination
Most coworkers and colleagues I have spoken to, relate to Artificial Intelligence as a destination – ‘when artificial intelligence is here…’, ‘when we can bring artificial intelligence to this data set…’, ‘when we can use artificial intelligence in these scenarios…’. For those of you familiar with the AI Effect, artificial intelligence is already here, and evolving. You can get started with introducing artificial intelligence into your work and life by first being open to data. The science of data analyses and decision-making today through Big Data is probably the function that is farthest along in the adoption of artificial intelligence. We do a disservice to ourselves and the technology when we wait for a specific point in time to adopt and apply any new technology. And for those of us that struggle with pride and being the smartest person in the room – isn’t it better to be ‘probably right’ about trying a new technology that is new to everyone, than to be dormant and see the world pass you by? Again, enough said.
And finally, Artificial Intelligence is NOT meant to scare you
Fearing artificial intelligence thanks to Arnie in The Terminator is like fearing sailing thanks to Jaws. Or at least something similar. Yes, like all new technology, there are consequences when we go overboard. There is merit in thinking that science fiction is fast becoming a reality. But the opportunity cost of fear in any scenario is regret. Focusing on how artificial intelligence can supplement, complement, support, catalyze versus replace and take over – should be enough to dispel fears of losing control of a technology. The human factor, as I mentioned before, is one that is irreplaceable. Even though the actions we considered to be naturally human – like driving – is being replaced, but it still takes a human to provide a destination and to have a gut instinct when a driver looks drunk in the lane next to you. Over time, Big Data will be able to support the decision-making in such scenarios but that is still a support function. So, don’t be afraid of artificial intelligence – trust me, its more scared of you not even trying.