Why is AI so appealing in the Enterprise?

Some time ago we started using Decision Support Systems.

The idea was that a machine could help humans in improving their decision making, substantially using two features: Data and a clear Methodology, able to deliver repeatable results.

As automation became pervasive in almost all business processes, with ERP and CRM systems, data started to grow exponentially, opening up new opportunities and new challenges at the same time.

Suddenly the manager had the need to transform such data into information and then had to define his / her own methodology to act.

We started talking about Business Intelligence, and overall the process was to start from things that happen (data), organize and transform them into something that can be understood (Information) and finally produce some evidence that can be used to generate an action (Intelligence).

It worked… sort of.

The problem was that the overall process requires quite a bit of effort and the manager often has to make decisions on things that are complex and not necessarily well understood.

This is where the good old sneaky “gut feeling” came back.

We all covered it, or at least tried to, by using some fancy words like “Insights” to reassure those around us that the actions we took were the product of a clearly defined process, driven by the data-information-intelligence chain.

Remember your granny watching commercials on TV? She was a good target for them because the old generations used to believe “if it is on TV, it has to be true”.

Our “Insights” are often just a way to say “if the computer says it, it must be true”.

In other words they allow the manager not to assume any responsibilities for the actions, or at least that was the “hope”.

Unfortunately the intelligence was there in open sight in the company, so it could be challenged : were those actions justified, after all?

We now have a manager who is barely able to assume any responsibility, would rather not take any decision than assume the risk of being judged.

Wouldn’t it be great if something was telling you: just do this, without anyone being able to understand why?

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome AI!

If the Artificial Intelligence says it, it has to be true.

No need to understand, no need to study, no need to develop a methodology, it’s sure great to be a manager nowadays.

In the long run, AI will probably replace human Decision Makers (it is already happening in many different environments) and yes, it is indeed getting better and better, but the real issue, I’d argue, is that humans are getting progressively worse at decision making.

I like AI, I am not sure I like the way it is used (or maybe I simply don't like people and I'd rather have them replaced by AI :) )