The Forces that shape the future- AI and beyond

Part 1

robot

As a growing up boy I was endlessly fascinated by stories, movies and books that had outer planetary travels and adventures as their main theme. For me it was never science fiction but rather it all felt real and palpable as I kept feeling the vastness and grandeur of the skies and stars each and every night and those unseen forces that were working overtime behind and beyond our human lives.
However one of my favourites has always been the dystopian adventures of humanity- ‘Brave New World’ by Aldous Huxley- it left an indelible impression on me and the possibility of that becoming a reality in the future scared me.
Since then the idea that machines someday in a futuristic world will live and work alongside us human beings has been more than just an idea. In fact it has been actively propagated by various pundits of the future who have passionately put forth this alternate reality that expounds the fact that machines do it better.
Many prominent individuals and corporates have been at work with a pooling of their vast resources to ensure this will be a reality. And so it’s no wonder that since the past few years AI (Artificial Intelligence) is now being spoken about openly when it has already been in play for decades in one form or another.

As the global topography changes around how we live our lives, work, do businesses, build relationships etc; where boundaries are permeable and blurred, each and every one of us are being asked to reconsider our fundamental purpose in this broader ecosystem.
An ecosystem which seems to be fast moving to a place where Machines are now vying for attention to live, work, play alongside and sometimes the overreaching aspects of dominating our lives seems to be part of the vision of those who propagate AI, Virtuosity and Singularity.

Businesses all over are being asked to become agile to succeed in this changing world. And an agile business requires an agile workforce which to me translates to people who are great at relationships rather than just the ability to bury their heads into screens. Business leaders and global think tanks need to ensure that their people are relevant and adaptable as technology advances.

This world is in major and constant transition so the question we need to ask is- What will withstand the forces that have come into play with the advent of tech, digital, AI, IoT (Internet of things) and the concept of Singularity which seems to be fast gaining mainstay.
How will this affect the way we live and work? What about our Relationships? How will we be able to stay connected or Are we becoming increasingly disconnected from our true selves in the pursuit of a so called higher intelligence on the outside?

As technology, and most importantly, our understanding of how we as a human race can work collectively has progressed, our concept of what constitutes AI has changed. Rather than increasingly complex calculations, work in the field of AI has concentrated more on mimicking/cloning human decision making processes and carrying out tasks in ever more human ways.

Investment

Companies are encouraging digital first thinking and creating compelling digital content and creating journey-based experiences that co-create engagement and human interactions is the way ahead…
Putting the customer at the heart of everything. 80% of B2B buying decisions are based on a buyer’s direct or indirect customer experience and only 20% are based on the price or the actual offering.
Driving insights and improving data analysis capabilities is considered the most important factor in delivering a great customer experience and is becoming a strategic priority for most brands adopting digital and AI technology. But is this enough as all of this is just the functional aspect of what we can do with digital and tech. What about the true forces that are shaping or trying to condition our minds and bodies to adapt to this change without understanding where those forces come from.
Is there a smoke screen that we are unable to see and recognise or Are we just not willing to go there….

Contd in part 2..

Are you going to lead this change? Are you a leader or a management consultant or a company that would like to know more on how to bring about a model that is capable of bringing this future to the present. If so get in touch with us. Our brand founder and author of this blog Chetan Jha is leading not just change but also innovation across the board through best practises that echo compassion understanding and reflection.
To know more, email us: [email protected]

 

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