WTF is AI?: The 4 phases of learning

In my previous article in the WTF is AI? series entitled The AI ecosystem for Muggles, I showed this colourful graph identifying the body of all possible knowledge we can all have (see right.)

You notice that the biggest (and yellowest!) piece of the pie is the things we don't realize we dont know. I thought this was an interesting place to dive further, within the context of educating about AI solutions.

Ultimately there are four levels of learning or competences. These are based on the premise that before a learning experience begins, learners are unaware of what or how much they know (unconscious incompetence), and as they learn, they move through four psychological states until they reach a stage of unconscious competence.

1. Unconscious Incompetence:

This is people who don't realize they have a knowledge or skill gap. For example, a project gets derailed unexpectedly by something because they DIDN'T REALIZE until it's too late. They thought they had more knowledge than they actually did. You don't want a parachute instructor literally falling in this category.

Pyschologists refer to this as the Dunning-Kruger Effect when someone believes their cognitive abilities to be greater, than they are. This category is dangerous among those with high self esteem and confidence since they lack skill !! Donald Trump is a classic case who overules his intelligence, military and political advisors based simply on his own self-belief!

2. Conscious Incompetence :

This is the notion that someone REALIZES that they have limits to their knowledge expertise/skills in a specific area. This is where learning can begin.

However, some people become inactive as a result since they perceive that they lack enough knowledge to advance. It's important to realize that it's OK to make mistakes with anything as long as you learn from it. The digital era allows us to to fail faster but also learn faster!

My feeling is that many key business decision makers are in this category regarding AI integration/testing e.g they know they don't understand AI's potential and want to learn, but simply don't know where to start and consequently don't. An area of opportunity for education and hand holding, in my humble opinion, for AI companies looking to generate more revenue. They need to move more older decision makers from unconscious incompetence to conscious incompetence.

3. Conscious Competence:

This is knowing that YOU ARE GOOD at something or a specific subject area but it takes you thought/work/practice to maintain. However, complacency can lead to downfall. A good example is a teenager who has recently passed a driving test but who thinks he is fully competent to cope with all eventualities on the road, which is just not the case.

I think many non-techie decision makers in business should NOT fall into the comfort zone of believing that they know everything about their industry and falsely thinking that new technology like AI is of no relevence to them. I believe that many C-suite individuals become too complacement in their perceptions about pre-existing paradigms regarding what AI is and can do for them. Education needed to dispel the myths and shift those paradigms for this group.

4. Unconscious Competence

This is the final learning phase. You have mastered a skill that you dont even have to think about. Example would be a drummer (since I'm a basement drummer!) who can play complicated songs, without even thinking about what the individual limbs are doing. They just do it, as Nike would say.

Since AI is in its infancy, most business leaders will not be in this category regarding their knowledge of AI. This is a pretty elusive category right now. Not many Neil Peart's in business with knowledge of AI.

Conclusion relating to AI

Huge amounts of structured, centralized education about AI is required BY INDUSTRY. Not just random articles here and there about AI that jumps from one industry to another and talks about the tech.

Paradigm shifts have to happen, perceptions have to change and greater understanding is needed for game changing, end solutions to be understood and for decision makers to move from unconcious incompetence to concious competence.

It is only when the power of AI is more clearly spelled out to them, that they will realize that they didn't know, what they didn't know, and only then will they embark on a journey that will be very fruitful for those who jump aboard the learning bus.