November is proving to be an absolute whirlwind, taking us from the serene South Coast to the cultural cauldron of Glasgow. It’s a privilege to be on this journey, supporting individuals and organisations eager to embrace technology while navigating the potential pitfalls of AI.
Our clients this month come from diverse sectors, spanning engineering and infrastructure businesses, B2B service providers, and not-for-profit organisations. While their industries may differ, they all share a common set of concerns. The fear that AI will snatch away their jobs looms large; they are grappling with the daunting challenge of a shortage in data science skills and they want to get AI ethics “right”.
But here’s the thing – the ethical aspects of AI cannot be just a checkbox on a compliance task list. As I said to the audience of hundreds online and in person last week, AI ethics is everyone’s job. And you don’t need to figure out all the complexities from scratch. Although there’s no universal gold standard for AI ethics, we have a repository of Responsible AI frameworks to guide your thinking and inspire you to create the right framework for your organisation.
In a world where the war for talent feels like a never-ending battle, poaching trained data science and AI professionals from one another may seem like a tempting strategy. However, it often falls short because it doesn’t provide the essential domain knowledge that effective data science demands. Furthermore, you might find yourself on the receiving end of poaching attempts sooner than you think.
Elon Musk proclaimed in London last week that AI will be the end of work. We agree that it will change our working lives, but we’re not convinced that AI will do every job in the future. And if it did, who is going to redesign society so that people’s basic need for food, water and shelter will be satisfied in the new utopia? What about higher level needs?
These questions are for the future; for now, what’s our approach to building AI-savvy leadership teams? We advocate for a different path that nurtures existing team members’ capabilities. Instead of exclusively seeking external hires with specialised AI skills, consider empowering your current staff who are comfortable working with tools like Excel. Encourage them to expand their skill set, perhaps by delving into PowerBI, where they can become adept at handling diverse datasets and uncovering hidden insights. This lays the groundwork for transitioning to low code or no code tools when the time is right.
By fostering a culture of continuous learning and development within your organisation, you not only build a stronger and more resilient team but also establish a solid foundation for ethical AI implementation. It’s a win-win strategy that promotes growth, adaptability, and a brighter future for your business in the age of AI. So, embrace the journey, and let’s harness the power of AI together, with wisdom and integrity as our guiding stars.
