Technology is not a panacea. Digitalization is not an end in itself.
In 1956, computer scientist John McCarthy, one of the founders of the artificial intelligence field, organized one of the most ambitious events of its time. He brought scientists, economists and figures such as Allen Newell, Marvin Lee Minsky and Herbert A. Simon to Dartmouth College to discuss new technologies and imagine how the future might change. During that gathering, they pursued an idea they believed could transform the world: giving machines capabilities associated with humans, including reasoning and language. It was there that McCarthy coined the term “Artificial Intelligence.”
Increasingly, our time is consumed by a new faithful companion. We look to it for the time, our meetings, answers to questions, contact with people we care about, restaurant recommendations and even directions to get there.
Our new best friend is, in fact, a machine. And not just any machine, but one of the most powerful tools human beings have ever held in their hands. Impressive, isn't it?
Supercomputers, bots and digital technology seem to sit at the center of this new “intelligence” whenever we talk about digital transformation, big data, automation, chatbots and the expanding vocabulary of technological change.
Data does not get bored. Software does not need to eat, socialize or rest. Remove humanity from the equation and machines can begin to look like the ideal employee. Yet fake news, cryptocurrency bubbles, security breaches, cyberbullying and social-media addiction are also products and effects of this technological wave.
This kind of “intelligence” may promise a new era of business efficiency, but we should be careful not to confuse that with machines possessing the breadth of human intelligence. A bot can perform basic tasks, but it does not reason, show kindness or smile at a customer with empathy in the way a person can.
The deeper dilemma is that when technology is approached this way, human participation and interaction are pushed into the background. Instead of combining human + machine to improve organizational performance, each is treated separately. That can weaken both organizational effectiveness and people's sense of security inside the organization. We make people believe they must behave like machines or risk being replaced by them.
The “Big Data Executive Survey” by NewVantage Partners highlighted a recurring reason big-data initiatives fail: cultural and organizational change around digital transformation. We can become obsessed with the efficiency of tools while ignoring that we are dealing with a complex design process centered on human beings.
The future of purpose… human purpose
Technology replacing tasks previously done by people is real. It is already changing the global workforce across manufacturing, finance and services. Some people will adapt while many others may be left behind, deepening economic and social divides. At the same time, access to real-time information is making consumers more conscious and more interested in the meaning and purpose behind what they do and buy.
What would happen if the purpose of what a company does came before even what a consumer thinks they want? The successful companies of this so-called Fourth Industrial Revolution will be those that keep human beings at the center of digital transformation. Organizations that also gain clarity about their purpose in the market will go further.
Strengthening human skills inside organizations is one of the most important tasks companies face. That means developing the characteristics that distinguish us from machines: hospitality, time management, planning and organization, empathy, critical and creative thinking, collaboration and assertive communication.
People are not machines. I am not a machine. I am a human being.
Technology is not a panacea. Digitalization is not an end in itself. If our value proposition is authentic and our purpose is clear, the right customer will come with us. Improving the relationship between machines and humans requires continuous human development, and investing in that direction is an investment in the long-term survival of the company.
Archive note: the references, technological examples and claims belong to the context of 2018. This translation is published as evidence of the evolution of a question that remains central to my work: how to increase technological capability without reducing human agency.