Countering AI distrust
Flashback: It’s 1979 and Star Trek: The Motion Picture has just been released. In the movie, a Voyager probe — sent into the universe to collect data — goes missing and is presumed swallowed by a black hole. A machine world discovers the probe and outfits it to better achieve its data-collecting mission. When the probe returns to earth’s quadrant, the Enterprise crew learns the probe has consumed physical worlds, spaceships, and living beings and converted them to data. Earth, and all its life, stands threatened.
Fast forward to April 1, 2024. The Wall Street Journal has published an article entitled, “For Data-Guzzling AI Companies, the Internet is Too Small.” And guess what the accompanying illustration depicts? A non-human entity voraciously consuming everything before it. Uh-oh. Voyager has arrived. And it’s hangry for…gulp…us.
As you consider which workflows and procedures to integrate with artificial intelligence (AI), also consider this:
Every employee has a belief about what the future looks like when science fiction is no longer fiction.
If employees perceive AI as a threat, it’s not surprising. Decades-long exposure to doomsday themes of many science fiction movies and literature have contributed to a wary stance. Nobody wants to be reduced to a data point in the storage facility of some massive, data-guzzling, non-human intelligence. Does AI pose that threat? And, we’re still processing the effects of a pandemic that voraciously consumed lives, jobs, autonomy, and stability. We didn’t know what to expect during or after the pandemic; how can we possibly know what to expect from the emerging ecosystem of humans + AI?
Fortune recently hosted It’s All About Trust: Leading For Success At The 100 Best Companies To Work For, a virtual discussion with leaders from companies on Fortune’s 100 Best list. Penny Pennington (Managing Partner - Edward Jones) said trust and human connection are the rails Edward Jones runs on. Chris Nassetta (CEO - Hilton) observed trust occurs when people believe they are being treated fairly, that they have a future, and they feel safe. Ed Bastian (CEO - Delta Air Lines) indicated the elements of a high-trust culture include caring for the emotional, financial, and physical well-being of employees. Human connection. Safety. Well-being. Intangible benefits of a culture of trust.
When asked about the integration of AI in business, Edward Jones’ Pennington stated that AI augments — not replaces — the work of human financial advisors and the trust they build. But, if the integration of AI is perceived by employees as a loss of human connection, safety, and well-being, how can organizations counter that distrust?
Perhaps by hosting Town Halls featuring a single discussion item: science fiction and its role in forming beliefs about the future. Asking questions, such as — Which sci-fi movies terrified you? Which were intriguing? Why is AI depicted as a threat to humanity? Does sci-fi ever depict AI working well with humans? Is the Matrix real? — allows you and your employees to express and examine beliefs. Discussing the influence of fictional threats may seem irrelevant, even silly, but the billions of dollars in revenue generated by machine vs. human movie franchises suggests otherwise.
Effective Continuous Improvement begins with clarity on workflows, procedures, and training plans.
This blog was written and edited by a human!
© 2024 Lori K. Barbeau