I tried to get an AI to replace me at work. This is what I found

I work with Leaders interested in transformation through communication. That's a big responsibility. There's something truly remarkable about the power of words and how they can shape destinies. Imagine being able to stand in front of an audience and command their attention effortlessly, or crafting messages that resonate deeply with your audience. It's not just about being a speaker; it's about becoming a force of positive transformation.

Speaking is not just for leaders, it's for anyone who needs to engage and influence at work. It's a challenge because our entire lives, especially at school, we're taught to read and write well but not taught to speak. I find it interesting that we have so many systems and processes at work for sales, marketing, finance approvals, reporting etc but no process to influence.

There's an art and science to speaking, so I thought could AI replace that? I decided to create an in-person event designed by AI, developed by AI, written by AI and delivered by AI.

"We don't rise to the level of our potential; we fall to the level of our systems" - James Clear

Given the quote above, could I feed my systems into an AI and replace me?

Systems are repeatable processes that anyone can follow. They are a form of pattern recognition and computers are exceptional at that. I thought that this would be a simple task but it wasn't.

THE CHALLENGES OF USING AI

Too many AI tools to choose from

It got complicated really quickly. Firstly, which AI to use? At the time, (Nov 22 - just after ChatGPT made it's very public launch), tools were coming out weekly. Not only was there no single source to find them but it was hard to determine the capability and quality of each AI released. AI is a broad term that covers all sorts of tasks like art, language, copywriting etc. What's out there and where do we start? Recently some newsletters on AI have partly simplified this. They discover and summarize the many AI tools out there.

The speed of development is changing very rapidly

Even AI in the same category was developing so fast that a new version came out almost daily in response to the learning that had happened over that week. I remember starting a project and 2 weeks later having to bin the whole thing because of the speed of development. The tool I was using was now obsolete.

It helps to be current in the space and understand the speed of development, so you know what is out there, how fast it is developing and what features can get you the best possible outcome.

"AI is like a really smart intern, hugely talented but shouldn't be left to their own devices."

AI is not as smart as we think it is

AI is like a really smart intern, hugely talented but shouldn't be left to their own devices. It's not so much "intelligent" but fast, efficient and (to an extent) coachable and automated. There were plenty of times where I was super impressed with the initial output only to find it didn't know that much when pushed further. AI is probably at the level of a smart 1st or 2nd year intern. It doesn't have the context, nuance or sophistication of an experienced worker. Yes, you can train AI to do better but one person can't compete with its own learning and using input from others working with the technology.

Additionally, AI is not yet able to discern the quality of its sources so biased and fake news can influence the outcome. I've seen it cite sources that aren't exactly relevant to the specific scenario. In other words, it's only as good as the training data and even then, it is selective about what it seems to use.

It doesn't mean AI can't do anything. Its strength is definitely ideation, copywriting, outlining and summarising. It is astonishingly good at this, and hallucinations are minimal in this space. I would estimate it's saved me months in time doing those tasks manually.

Not all AI is equal

Tools that claim to do the same thing can vary in features, ease of use, maturity level, privacy in using your data etc. You need to read the fine print and be a little technically inclined to do complex projects. I'll often run the same prompt (equivalent to a query in search) over multiple AI's to see which one gives me the best results. I'll often revisit AI that I discounted previously because of the speed of progress I mentioned earlier. There's always a newer, better, more advanced and feature rich AI coming out.

HOW TO GET ON TOP OF THE AI HEAP

Be Aware

Know that the technology is moving fast. Try to stay current. It's a big ask but doable. You can't keep up with all of it unless you're using the technology almost daily so what can you do?

I subscribe to as many AI newsletters as possible. I then separate them into a folder (or tag) and keep them out of my Inbox. I'll drop into that folder as much as I can and scan each newsletter. I ONLY engage with tools that get reported across MULTIPLE newsletters. That way you know you only use tools that are getting a good reputation. Occasionally an individual AI will catch my attention, I sometimes look into those as well.

Follow someone (ideally a real person you actually know) who you can ask questions. There will be lots to ask as the tech changes rapidly.

Play with the technology

As often as possible, play with the tech as much as you can. Very soon this tech will be EVERYWHERE. Microsoft in particular has big plans for AI across all their products. You're much better off making small inroads now than trying to play catch up on a rapidly growing technology.

Ideally, learn and master AI basics like "Prompting". This is the ability to put in the right queries and context for the AI to get you the best results. Importantly, learn how to ask progressively more specific prompts as you develop your ideas and thinking. It can really expand your knowledge and awareness in any given area. As you give it more context, the answers get much more specific to you and your scenario.

You will also learn the limits of the technology and how fast it is moving if you play with it often. Being informed is the best way to know if the AI can actually help you. You will be surprised about what it can do and how complex its answers will be if you experiment.

SO WILL #AI REPLACE ME?

In the short term, no but it will replace many repetitive tasks you currently do. It does some things astonishingly well as I've mentioned. I'm not sure an AI will truly understand every context and the mindset, values, thinking models of every human simultaneously and specifically meet those needs but it will get close very soon.

Based on my profession, I would say it will do about half of what I can do within 3-5 years and much of it within the decade but not everything. Any task with repetitive processes and specific knowledge work will probably be replaced by AI. Also, anything that can be done faster by AI (even with mostly perfect outcomes) will replace tasks that we do on a daily basis.

Personally, I'm really looking forward to this moment. Imagine removing the repetitive, mundane and basic work tasks we need to deal with. I can then do the more advanced, nuanced and human centred work that I currently enjoy.

Do you have any thoughts or concerns for AI in the workplace? Let's discuss them in the comments.