Deploy a Successful AI Strategy // Part 6: Culture
Rarely has a topic divided today’s (working) society as much as that of artificial intelligence. While technocrats see it as the messiah of future growth and productivity, the broad masses are skeptic about it. The spectrum of opinions ranges from “machines will destroy my job” to “machines will take over the world a la Skynet and wipe out humanity”.
As is so often the case, the truth will not simply be black or white.
Although many manual tasks will be taken over by machines in the future, new work will also be created in parallel that will still be done by humans. The last 200 years have shown that with the advent of industrialization, the labor force of the tertiary sector (agriculture) has shifted to factories. At the same time, there has been no comparable period in human history in which prosperity and progress have increased to such an extent. The combination of machine and human labor was the key component. Germany’s prosperity in particular has been built precisely on this over the past 150 years. German automotive and mechanical engineering still enjoy an excellent reputation in the world.
Artificial intelligence will now usher in another turning point in the 21st century. While it was primarily factory workers who experienced the greatest upheaval during industrialization, today knowledge workers and workers with repetitive tasks will be forced to proactively address the issue of AI.
Those who want to play a role in the labor market in the 21st century will have no choice.
Psychological safety
Any shakeup and venture into the “unknown” creates uncertainty and discomfort. This case is no exception. Rather, welcome the “new” with open arms and get to know each other.
For your own organization, this means in concrete terms:
Ensure an open discussion culture in which opportunities, risks and fears can be discussed openly and seriously. Take concerns seriously and create an atmosphere of “psychological safety” in your organization. This means that employees must have the feeling that they will not suffer any consequences as a result of critical comments.
Cut out the nonsense about detached change projects (which have been proven to have about a 6% chance of success anyway). Rather, provide open forums, and communication channels where you transparently demonstrate your AI strategy and explain why exactly you want to steer in this direction and what future your employees will play.
Also, make sure you provide a training opportunity for all employees to learn about the topic. Provided you already have individual lighthouse projects to show: Show them to your workforce. What are their benefits? What added value have they created and, most importantly, point out the pros and cons. This is the most effective way to dispel (irrational) fears and reservations about your AI strategy.
However, please do not fall into the “AI will solve all our problems” mode. Based on current research, humanity is far from creating AGI (Artificial General Intelligence). Rather, AI is being applied purposefully to individual business cases where it can develop its full potential. AI is never the end in itself, it is rather the means to an end.
Key Takeaways
- Sentiment: What is the general acceptance of AI in the organization?
- How can you create an atmosphere of “psychological saftey”?
- Which communication channels are suitable for picking up the majority of the workforce on the topic?
- Are there already lighthouse projects whose added value you can present to your workforce?
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