The following is a guest article by Ed Watal, Founder and Principal at Intellibus
It seems as if every news outlet, talking head, and business influencer has been talking about AI — and for good reason. Though artificial intelligence is not a new concept, the latest innovations in what the technology can do for business, news, media, art, and finance are taking the world by storm. From ChatGPT to AI-assisted medical care, there isn’t a single industry that hasn’t been touched by AI in some way — causing some to wonder if the human element of business, work, and life itself may be in jeopardy.
However, human beings working with other humans have no reason to fear for their survival against the rise of AI just yet. There are ways to successfully integrate AI tools into one’s processes that keep the human touch alive and well, creating a symbiotic relationship that will carry us into the future.
Collaboration
When AI joins forces with human innovation and creativity, the collaborative effort can bring a new, enhanced level of customer service and productivity. AI integration can help companies manage mundane tasks, leaving people more time to tackle complex ideas, creative brainstorming, and customer-to-customer interactions.
AI can also be helpful from a customer service standpoint. Many companies have started utilizing AI chatbots to answer frequently asked questions from customers, and some AI programs even have the ability to complete some customer service tasks, such as switching a seat on an airplane or even issuing a refund. Customers who no longer have to sit on hold waiting to talk to a real person will be much happier with their experience, and the company will not have to worry about employing people to answer the same questions day after day.
Emotional Intelligence
AI has become so intuitive that it can actually learn to respond to human emotion. This integration is especially helpful within highly charged situations, such as the medical field. Integrating AI with emotional intelligence can help improve the customer or patient experience and overall care outcomes by teaching the AI to understand human needs and emotions. Emotion analysis tools can also be used in marketing or even finance, where they have been used to predict market trends.
Ethical Considerations
A symbiotic relationship cannot exist, now or in the future, without consideration of the ethical principles of AI. Biases — including racism, sexism, and homophobia — have already been detected in modern AI systems.
Because human beings are behind AI machine learning, human biases will always find their way into AI systems in some way, shape, or form. However, ethics must be part of AI development to prevent overt misuse or intentional bias.
Continuous Learning
AI is here to stay, meaning both AI innovators and human beings need to adapt and learn together to bring the best of what both sides have to offer to the world at large. Both need to keep pace with evolving technology and concentrate on fostering a unified and dynamic partnership.
By accepting what AI has to offer, human beings can become lifelong learners and use AI to enhance learning and growth. AI will continue to adapt to human behavior and improve how fast and well it learns the information human beings offer. As both sides continue to learn and grow, the collaborative relationship can become stronger.
A symbiotic relationship with AI is possible and, in most cases, beneficial. Though AI can not replace the complex nature of human beings — with all of our emotions, quirks, and real-life experiences — it can be a useful partner in helping us live productive lives. With training, coaching, serving, and creating, AI can be more than just a sidekick in the hero’s journey of human innovation and growth.
About Ed Watal
Ed Watal is an AI Thought Leader and Technology Investor. One of his key projects includes BigParser (an Ethical AI Platform and Data Commons for the World). He is also the founder of Intellibus, an INC 5000 “Top 100 Fastest Growing Software Firm” in the USA, and the lead faculty of AI Masterclass — a joint operation between NYU SPS and Intellibus. Forbes Books is collaborating with Ed on a seminal book on our AI Future. Board Members and C-level executives at the World’s Largest Financial Institutions rely on him for strategic transformational advice. Ed has been featured on QR Calgary Radio and Medical Device News.
