Generative AI: Trick or Treat?

How Generative AI Can Elevate, Not Scare Away, Human Insight 

By Eve Kantaros and Theo Pedas

Venturing further into the digital age means embracing a new world with new norms. The recent surge in artificial intelligence (AI), a technology developed to streamline traditional human-required tasks through computer programming, has been at the center of changing operational practices. Traditional methods of work, thought, and interaction are entering uncharted territory.

A Mixed Bag

While the conversation around AI has primarily centered on how it will replace roles that consist of iterative work (e.g., data entry clerks), generative AI will also impact roles with strategic and human components, such as consultants. Platforms like ChatGPT have already begun to boost consulting firms’ and other similar organizations’ efficiency. Therefore, while this technology does have the potential to displace certain jobs, it also has the potential to revolutionize how industries in the strategic space operate.

AI’s true power lies in its ability to unlock new horizons of human ingenuity. By delegating repetitive, mundane, or unsafe tasks to AI, organizations can liberate human resources and enable employees to focus on higher-value work, driving innovation and creativity. This not only will free up time and enhance productivity, but it can have a compounding positive effect by lifting employee morale. The strategic integration of AI technologies offers a pathway to transform work dynamics and unleash the true potential of employees in the pursuit of innovation and success. Rather than spending hours compiling interview data only to start theming it when you are mentally drained, AI can organize and synthesize the data for you, allowing you more time and mental clarity to focus on discerning more profound themes and uncovering new insights.

Early Adoption Has Its Sweet Side

The use of generative AI has surged with stunning speed. It is completely understandable that many would harbor a general feeling of unease toward this new technology and heed caution. Nonetheless, excessive caution may stifle the transformative potential of generative AI. What can leaders do to mitigate this obstacle and shift attitudes toward AI from one of hesitance to one of excitement? They can start by implementing a culture of learning and empowerment.

  • Provide opportunities for continuous learning and training: Fostering a culture of continuous learning and innovation empowers professionals to confidently adopt and leverage these tools. As offerings in the realm of generative AI technology continuously evolve, so will the need for employers to spur on continuous learning and provide training resources to support this. One such resource is Microsoft’s AI Skills Initiative, which offers training on AI and its implementation in the workforce. This type of training helps a variety of age brackets learn on a level playing field and maintain productive and compatible professional relationships as AI’s presence rises.

  • Empower employees through autonomy and feedback: From one angle, employees may feel that by offloading certain tasks to AI, companies are removing their individual agency. To combat this perception, company leaders should not only reaffirm but also boost employees’ sense of autonomy. If leadership endorses measured risk-taking with AI tools and celebrates resulting achievements, it sets a promising foundation for building a company culture that is positioned to maximize the benefits and minimize the risks of AI. Additionally, leadership can make employees feel trusted and valued by establishing clear feedback mechanisms. This would require a two-way dialogue between company leadership and employees regarding the challenges and opportunities of AI’s implementation. This approach enables employees to have a say in shaping the process and grasp a greater sense of control.

no longer SCience fiction

In a world where day-to-day efforts will soon revolve around generative AI, organizations must seek to reimagine their operations in this new reality and prepare accordingly. Conceivably, the change management industry may be most poised to accomplish this. While perhaps counterintuitive, AI’s endgame is not so different from that of change management; both seek to optimize processes and operations, prompting individuals to explore and harness their inherently human qualities and competencies.  

Best PracticesMichelle Wandrestechnology, artificial intelligence, training, continuous learningComment