THE HUMAN FACTOR and A.I
I have to say, I’m excited about technology and the incredible innovations that are constantly evolving. If you’ve followed me for a while, you’ll know that I also really appreciate and focus on the impact of the ‘human factor’.?And I’m even more excited that Optevo uses technology to facilitate that.
Given the events of the past few years, I’m probably not alone in this. I think we’ve all done an assessment of one sort or another and come to the conclusion that it’s the people around us who make our personal worlds and lives worthwhile. I’m not knocking ‘purpose’, ‘vision’ and all that good stuff that we believe is so important at work and in life. But really, what are those things for if not to make life better for people?
I’ve become so much more aware of the importance of the people around me - whether we interact virtually within Optevo, on LinkedIn, or in person. I no longer take them for granted the way we often do when life just races by.?
Why are people so important? Because they add something to life that can’t be replicated authentically artificially. When those networks, interactions and intersections take place, both in person and remotely, there’s this intangible ‘thing’ that happens.?
Because of that ‘thing’, I’m so grateful for the people who make up my world.
That ‘thing’ is hard to define, but it’s what lets us know that we’re truly alive,?real, and tangible and we’re not alone.?It could be a touch, a facial expression, a smile, a laugh, a frown, or a word that just hits our hearts… in other words, expressions that are uniquely human and uniquely powerful.
Which brings me to my first observation on whether the ‘human factor’ is a genuine motivator for the current strong #RTO push.
The ‘human factor’ seems to have been the logic behind much of what’s been said in favor of #RTO. As you know, I’m an advocate of flexibility. I don’t engage in discussion of what’s better, or worse, in this regard. I simply point out that there is technology available which facilitates working in the way that works for us. Which, by the way, opens up opportunities for so many who’ve been previously marginalized.
It’s sad to see the ongoing tug-of-war between those who’re for #RTO and those who’re for #WFH or #HybridWork.?
Because, although social interaction and culture are often cited as only happening in-office, it seems that the real motivators may have less to do with employee wellbeing and more to do with other not so obvious reasons.?
Is it concern for real estate leases on offices that remain empty? Is it a control thing? Is it perhaps a multitude of inexplicable motivations? I don’t know. But, I digress.
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What I do know is this:
The beauty of the ‘human factor’ is that we’re all unique. We all have our individual circumstances influencing our decisions. We aren’t a homogenous list of numbers that can be neatly categorized in a spreadsheet. Remember our fingerprints? All unique, right? Well, so are we, as people.?
And then along comes A.I. and some are concerned about how this will impact life as we know it while others celebrate the possibilities.
I was going through articles I wrote in 2019 and 2020 where I pointed out some of the amazing capabilities that A.I. was bringing to our world. How it was opening doors to employment for many who’d been excluded and how it could benefit humanity. How it could make life infinitely easier and expand our capacity and capability to do ever more wonderful things.
Progress has certainly sped up since then. A recent and hotly debated new A.I. release, #ChatGPT, has taken the world by storm. The implications of advances like this in A.I. are far-reaching. Like any rapid advancement, it has upsides and downsides. ?
A few years ago, Microsoft released a new #holoportation A.I. which combines holoportation with mixed reality and translation. allowing people to give a presentation ‘in person’ on stage in a language they don’t speak. The audience would never be able to tell the difference between the hologram and the flesh-and-blood person.?
The implications of just those two A.I. examples are mind-boggling.
The bottom-line is this: A.I. is a tool and a tool is neither good, nor bad. It’s neutral. It can be used in a good way to benefit humanity, or in a bad way. It’s up to us to direct our future in the path that will bring the upsides to reality and prevent the downsides as far as we’re able.
Only the ‘human factor’ is capable of making those kinds of distinctions.?
Makes you think, doesn’t it??
Leading Partner@BDO MX Tech | My Mission is to help Humanity adapt to an Interplanetary Future through the strategic implementation of the most advanced technologies in the organizations that shape our Human Experience
1 年Andre, thanks for sharing!
Fractional Chief of Staff | Strategic Advisor | Empowering CEOs/Founders to Design Human-Centered Organizations and Achieve Personal + Performance Excellence | Open to Fractional Chief of Staff Roles
1 年Love this post Andre Williams and I couldn't agree more. It is the human factor that has the ability to create - aka, create the future. The key IMO for creating a better future is understanding the law of unintended consequences. It is ignorance of this fact that is responsible for most of the world's problems today. When our aims are selfish (companies included) or benefit a few while detrimental to others/the planet then the clock on unintended consequences starts ticking. And it's not pretty when that alarm goes off. As we have seen in the last several years. Thanks for elevating the real heroes of the future - the Humans! There is no humanity without humans. ??
Chief Experience Officer at billquiseng.com. Award-winning Customer CARE Expert, Keynote Speaker, and Blogger
1 年Andre, I appreciate your insight into the "human" factor. And as you are my mentor, I very much appreciate you. So I hope to have an open conversation. To me, there is no intangible "thing". Tom Peters said, “Customers perceive service in their own unique, idiosyncratic, emotional, irrational, end-of-the-day, and totally human terms. Perception is all there is!" Employees do, too. So, like customers, employees seek the best emotional value in their experience. When AI and ChatGPT are emotionally neutral, then customers seek the next best emotional value which is an experience that is quick, easy, and painless. Make you think, doesn't it? What do you do or not, agree or agree to disagree, discuss or not, I very much appreciate you. As you are always, keep on thinking, keep on talking, and be GREAT out there!
The Ikigai Guy ?? ? Author of the soon to be released 'The Ikigai Way'
1 年There has to be a 'why' to automation. Efficiency is not a value or thing. It is a measure. Any automation, machine, or program should add to the human experience. AI is no different in that respect. I worked for decades in transforming companies, eliminating waste and driving innovation. It was for one reason, to improve the human experience. Eliminate the wasteful work and replace it with meaningful work; the employee's life is better. Make better products, and you've improved the lives of those customers who need them. And so on. AI should and hopefully will do the same.