The discussion around AI, its impact on the workplace and, more
recently, the potential short and long-term risks has reached fever
pitch in the last few months. Driven by seemingly universal
interest in OpenAI's ChatGPT platform, senior executives have
been asking, and asked, how this will affect their organization. In
parallel, there's been much speculation on the impact this will
have on certain jobs, functions and businesses – in some
cases suggesting that AI will effectively replace people in many
cases.
This is exciting – in every meaning of the word – but
this hype cycle is not new. In fact, throughout the annals of human
history technological innovation has prompted both enthusiasm and
fear – not always in equal measure. What's possibly at
play is how deeply the threat of AI is ingrained in our mindset due
to the entertainment industry's bleak view of AI and its quest
to excite our imaginations with the prospect of replacing –
or even eradicating -- our species. Just as virtually every
fictional future is dystopian, every AI incarnation is a Terminator
or HAL waiting to happen.
The reality is likely to be somewhat less existential for us humans
and we've already seen tech CEOs, who only a month or two ago
were feting AI, take a step or two back and, in some cases, expressing a need for much more caution. Why?
While we can expect the age of the 'digital workforce' to
mature over the coming years this is, as my colleague Angela
Zutavern and I outlined recently, the 'age of And'. The future will be
defined by people AND technology working together more seamlessly,
enhancing what each brings to the workplace, rather than the latter
superseding the former. This is especially true in areas like
talent acquisition and leadership.
AlixPartners Annual Disruption Index has consistently highlighted
the challenges facing leaders and we have published numerous
articles exploring the deeply human challenges facing the CEOs of
today and tomorrow. Technology is also consistently cited as a
major disruptive force and opportunity for businesses. However,
what we're increasingly seeing is something of a bifurcation.
On the one hand a deep fascination and commitment to widespread
technological transformation, on the other an increasing demand for
more human, empathetic and compassionate leadership. And, when it
comes to people-related topics, we're already seeing deepening suspicion around technology
creep.
We've seen the early furor around AI change in tone over the
last few weeks. Google's 'Godfather of AI' Dr.
Geoffrey Hinton's departure during which he foreshadowed the
potential perils of AI was unnerving. And, subsequent
discussions across the media, among politicians and in the
boardroom have begun to express deep concern. Thomas Friedman
shared some compelling thoughts around the ethics of AI recently in
the New York Times. Citing the example of social media as
a warning, he wrote that what was once seen as innocuous and fun
has become a cause of deep social concern, divide and now has been
clearly seen as having significant negative effects on the mental
health of children, particularly teenage girls.
All of these issues play out significantly in the leadership space
where the need for good decision-making, prudent judgement,
anchored by empathy and compassion, becomes even more necessary as
AI becomes more widely used in businesses. While AI is great at
synthesizing huge amounts of data and recognizing patterns, it is
far less adept at navigating the complexity of human emotions or
making decisions that take account of the needs, motivations, and
aspirations of human beings. In leadership these things matter.
These qualities will also, one hopes, help us collectively temper
the applications of AI and enable us to be the conscience of
organizations looking to embrace the undoubted benefits this
technology offers. As it stands these qualities aren't within
AI's gift, and one might argue that even seeking to replicate
them would be both dangerous and, likely, impossible. Maintaining a
'human in the loop' has been a longstanding component of
military doctrine when it comes to automation; the same should be
true in the operation and leadership of businesses.
Digitization is making organizations faster and flatter; leadership
is being distributed. We need to train more managers in leadership
and we need to embrace technology as a way to do that. In our work
we are increasingly asked to find the right people who can lead
organizations. The individual circumstances of each business we
work with may differ wildly. Their business might be on the up but
looking to supercharge growth or its fortunes may be less favorable
and they're looking for someone to guide them to stability.
Each situation is unique, as is the culture, composition and
challenges. Selecting the right leader for right now is
increasingly critical as the risk of getting it wrong can be
profound. As such, our assessment is detailed and profoundly human,
and unable to be replicated by AI.
So, while the hype around AI continues, we should take comfort that
the defining characteristics that make us human not only matter,
but matter profoundly. Technology doesn't always make the world
or work simpler. In some cases it's quite the reverse.
That's where empathy, compassion, wise decision-making and good
judgment become even more indispensable.
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