The Human Side Of Artificial Intelligence

Why do we see some teams (and organisations) leap far ahead in their ability to use AI/ Gen AI platforms than others?

Why are some organisational cultures so much more fertile soil for AI tools and platforms than others?

Who are the kind of leaders who are really leading the way in implementing tools?

This is the research that Jaspreet Bindra and I are neck deep in.

A bit of background: We have been interviewing business leaders whose teams have implemented at least one AI/ Gen AI project in recent months to understand key cultural drivers that enabled this implementation. Our research is in its early days. And our findings will keep evolving.

(Personal aside--this is such an exciting research project, because we know we are building knowledge each day. Knowledge that we hope will some day be very helpful for business leaders the world over.)

Three cultural drivers are clear stand-outs at this stage of our research:

1. A Critical Mass of Leaders Who Are Personally Curious About Technology:

In a knowledge firm this could be leaders at a partner level. In a manufacturing firm this could be leaders at a BU or Function head level.

"I make sure I read enough. I follow blogposts. I do what I can to make sure I understand what's available."

"Yes our organisation has also conducted so many AI awareness sessions. I have attended a few. "

Granted that the leaders in this pack are professional services companies (and perhaps technology companies), still we are seeing a certain critical mass of leaders in companies that are ahead of the curve. And this of course makes so much sense. It goes hand in hand with previous research that suggests that top leadership AI literacy is a key driver in building an AI friendly culture

2. The Ease of Availability of AI Tools and Platforms To Tinker With:

"One morning I just saw that Microsoft Co-pilot had been enabled on my phone. There is an ease of availability of tools (shares long list)...So we can play around and tinker with them."

Think about it.

Almost all of us have played around with Chat GPT in some form or the other. Why? Because...it's there. It's easy to access. And we were curious.

This innate human curiosity combines with easy access to tools to build familiarity, understanding and comfort. And we see that in organisations ahead of the curve, several AI tools and platforms are available for business teams to play around with and tinker with.

What is important is this: The learning curve has begun.

3. A Core Belief That Technology Is The Solution:

"I tell my team that before they do anything, they should see if AI can do part of that job."

"We always work very hard. But now it's time to work smarter."

A core cultural belief in teams leading the pack is that technology is meant to be used to make our work easier (or more accurate). This often combines with an inherent belief that--there must be a better way to do whatever it is that we are doing tomorrow.

This is in contrast to organisations where leadership teams are hesitant to build technology solutions till the technology (and its risks) are better understood.

Building an AI Culture

Every organisation problem solves in its own way.

What we are starting to see in organisations leading the path in the implementation of AI projects is a critical mass right at the top believing (implicitly perhaps) in the value of using this set of technology to solve business problems.

This belief lends itself to greater awareness and curiosity about the potential of AI to solve business problems.

What is different about some AI and Gen AI tools is that they are often iterative. They need data to learn from. And then they need continuous fine-tuning.

There is a learning curve associated with this.

Learning for the AI tool. Potential reorganising for the data systems that feed it. And of course learning for the people driving this.

We can see how teams in the lead will soon be far ahead of those who haven't started the journey. By building a more "intelligent organisation of work", they are starting to build a competitive advantage that will grow.

About this research: My research partner Jaspreet Bindra and I are studying cultural factors that are behind the successful implementation of AI and Gen AI solutions in organisations at scale. This is a new and emerging field and we hope to contribute to the body of knowledge by helping leaders know what is essential to focus on. Expect to read many such articles from us through the course of the year.

If you know of any organisation that is implementing AI at scale and would like to participate in our research project, please reach out.

And if you would like us to come and share our emerging findings in a leadership talk, DM us.

Unqbe, and my partner Papiya Banerjee , work with leadership teams to identify competencies that are specifically oriented to a fast changing world.

DM us if you would like to find out more.

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(About me: I lead Unqbe, a think-tank and advisory firm around building future organisations, and building future careers. We track change through commissioned and primary research. We help leadership teams build the new workplace through a culture that supports change and people practices for the future.)