12 hours ago
OPINION: Gary Martin says it's time to embrace new AI era
It is a question everyone needs to consider: how to harness the powers of artificial intelligence, because it is not a question of if AI will impact our lives, but to what extent.
There is no denying that AI – and its generative version – has become part of everyday life and is used in everything from personalising social media feeds to providing an interface between people, advancing robotics and powering medical breakthroughs.
There are estimates that almost 80 per cent of organisations have either introduced AI into their business or are considering doing so.
Many organisations have begun restructuring their workplace and workflows to better capture the benefits of AI.
AI can process huge amounts of data, identify patterns and follow detailed instructions on what do to with that information.
It can create, summarise and analyse documents and multi-media, much faster than humanly possible.
AI allows computers to learn and solve problems in ways that can seem human.
But computers cannot be human. They cannot think, empathise or reason.
And that goes to the heart of the threat of AI.
Introduced unchecked and allowed to take over without the necessary checks and balances – AI risks taking over decisions made by humans but without the human touch.
What AI lacks are the filters that advise on appropriateness, identify potential misuse, understand ethical complexities and assess environmental impacts, to name just some areas.
This is not to say that AI does not have an important role to play to further advance our organisations.
It is also typical that the introduction of any new technology or innovation generates a howl of disapproval from those who do not understand it, fear it or are ignorant to the pace of change.
AI is here to stay and there is a wonderful opportunity for organisations at every level to harness its powers for the good.
If AI drives improved levels of automation, identifies trends through its data harvesting capability that prevent tragedies and predict success and assists humans to make better decisions, then we all win.
But like all new innovations, it comes down to the human adaptation.
Embraced for the right reasons and used in the right ways with the appropriate human interface, AI will become an incredibly useful, value-adding tool that will make our lives better.
The opportunity for AI to drive efficiency and innovation is real.
But so are the challenges and threats of AI that extend way behind job losses and digital over-dependence.
We need to partner with AI, not compete against it.
We need to embrace its rise, not ignore it at as a passing trend.
We need to approach it with confidence – not fear.
And we need to use it to enhance decisions – not replace them.
Professor Gary Martin is CEO of the Australian Institute of Management WA
