How To... Actually Accept Artificial Intelligence

Will human creatives be obsolete within 20 years? We are entering the fourth industrial revolution and a key determinant of business survival and success will be how we exploit the benefits of smart technologies.

We can focus on short term efficiency and cost control by simply replacing workers or we can seek to differentiate our business by using technology to help unleash human potential. A range of exponential technological developments are being combined to change the nature, scope and scale of work; traditional business models are being overturned, professional roles are changing and whole industry sectors are being created anew. Artificial intelligence (AI) is perhaps the most disruptive smart technology fueling this radical transformation and creating serious concerns about the prospects for humanity in an automated world.

Artificial intelligence focuses on creating software tools that can replicate critical human mental faculties. Applications include speech recognition, language translation, visual perception, learning, reasoning, inference, planning, decision-making, and intuition. However, the really transformational impacts arise when AI is combined with accelerating developments in neuroscience, large scale databases, super-computing hardware, network communications, hyperconnectivity, blockchain distributed ledger systems, digital currencies, the Internet of Things (IoT), 3D / 4D printing, and cloud computing.

What differentiates AI is its capability to learn - AI systems can learn and are not limited to what they were originally programmed for. Every interaction is an opportunity for the systems to learn and evolve. Two years ago, M&C Saatchi installed a billboard with facial tracking and genetics-based algorithms at a London bus stop (above). The sign recognized the elements that most caught the attention of the passer-by. Then it showed a new poster incorporating what it learned. After just 72 hours, it was designing ads aligned with the industry standards, which – in contrast - have taken decades of empirical testing to figure out. 

Will AI replace the creative?

In reality, it’s far too early to say – the smart move for individuals and firms is to prepare for a range of possible outcomes. Some experts believe human creativity can never be fully replaced, because it would either be too bland and not innovative enough, or, on the contrary, so weird that it wouldn’t make sense. Others are developing AI capable of selecting scenes for movie trailers, doodling, composing songs, dancing, and even creating a new Rembrandt painting (below).

The introduction of AI being creative is pushing the boundaries of our expectations. So, we might see smaller, more specialized creative teams whose focus shifts from operations to strategy. As with other sectors, there could be more project-based hiring and a few full-time positions. However, humans may also have more tools to explore the limits of imagination and more time to be creative. If the provision of our basic services and needs are guaranteed, we could expect to see more people engaging their talents at different levels of the creative process. From IBM’s AI, Watson, we have learned that the best chess teams are those that combine human and AI. Maybe the same could also be true for any kind of work team.

According to Oxford’s 2013 study on The Future of Employment, some sectors are more likely to be computerized than others. Sales, services, office and administrative support, manufacturing and transportation are among the industries with higher likelihood, which means they will be the firsts to experience the changes. In their book, The Second Machine Age, authors Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAffe proposed three skills that would be more difficult for AI to emulate - ideation, large-frame pattern recognition and complex communication. So, while the technology is evolving fast, in the short term, industries relying on these capabilities to provide products and services might be less susceptible.

You're already using AI...

Additionally, as task automation becomes commonplace in pursuit of maximum efficiency, decision makers must be mindful of how this may impact brand identity and user experience, and where it is still critical to maintain human involvement. As similar smart automation is deployed by competing businesses, there’s a risk of commoditisation – so how firms stand out and maintain personality will be a critical consideration. There’s a growing focus on deploying the technology to tap into human talent and take our businesses to the next level – rather than simply automating to reduce costs. 

Ultimately the future of our work and the future of our society are deeply entwined. Our sense of status, our worth, our contribution and our legacy are often predicated around our work. On the plus side, humans have proved themselves to be remarkably adaptable. So, while the idea of working side-by-side with a robot may at first be unsettling, a small step back reminds us that we already work and relate with AI and “smart” machines every day. The AI companions that will join us in the workforce are likely to be preoccupied with learning about us and trying to make our lives better. 

Preparing for the coming disruptions requires investment to raise digital literacy, and application of the technology to free up our talent to focus on the most creative and intellectually demanding tasks.