The hype has been amazing. You hear everything from AI being able to replace doctors to hold congressional hearings. If you asked five different people about their thoughts on AI, I think the first would say it’s exciting, two would say they’re having difficulty understanding it, and the last two would express fear. And they all may be right.
I have one foot in the Exciting and Trying to Understand camps. The only thing I’m 100% sure of is that it is here to stay – and we’d better get behind it and figure it out. That’s what we’re trying to do around here. We’ve been investing in AI and earlier forms of it for some time.
Being in the software and/or automation business my entire career, I understand that the quality of any technology still comes down to the person(s) coding it, along with the reliability of the data it is sourcing. Like the rest of the world, our history, current community, and other factors will influence the direction an application (AI is an application) will take you.
That being said, AI still offers excellent benefits in speeding up the work of repetitive tasks and initial research activities. But like the practices of a Finishing Carpenter – before you use it, measure it twice (validate its integrity) before you cut.
In the same way PCs and then smartphones put the world into everyone’s hands, AI will most likely have a similar impact. I suggest embracing it, continuously learning its values and options, and then managing it like everything else you rely on. Its impact will be substantial.
Your challenge is to focus on those areas where it makes sense for you.
What are your thoughts on AI? Are you in the Exciting, Trying to Understand, or Fear camp?
