The emergence of AI feels a bit like the 1990s all over again when the Internet first emerged. Little did we know at the time that the world wide web would become an integral part of our daily lives. We are starting down that same path again – with AI – but this time at an exponential pace.
However, there is a general lack of preparedness for this massive change, as reported in a recent article by Axios:
“America is facing the biggest, fastest, most consequential technological shift in history — at the very moment people have lost faith in the big institutions. Making matters worse, most of us feel exhausted before contemplating super-human intelligence — which is often so unimaginable or scary that it’s easier to ignore than engage. Many are jamming their heads in the sand instead of exploring this new frontier. The result: a stunning lack of preparedness for a technology that could hit every person, every job, every company over the next year or so.”
The article outlines steps that strong, smart, high-integrity leaders, especially CEOs and heads of organizations, can take to help their people adapt:
1. Be Blunt: There is an urgent need for every employee to use AI tools to work smarter and more efficiently (and hopefully free up time for more enjoyable work as well!)
2. Prepare People: Give your people access to free AI tools and encourage them to spend time experimenting with them. Ask them to share learnings with their colleagues to enhance the ripple effect across your organization.
3. Prepare Yourself: Do not think that AI is a fad that’s going away. Get comfortable being uncomfortable and push yourself to learn what AI can do for you and your team.
4. Simplify: Make sure every person in your organization can name the top three things they must do to be effective at their job – and then identify ways that AI tools can help them to amplify their results.
As I’ve talked with colleagues and clients recently, it’s clear that people fall in one of two camps: hesitant and skeptical, or curious and willing to learn how to leverage AI capabilities. Which camp are you in? Will you adapt or fall behind?
Go Deeper: Read the full Axios article.