DEVELOPING EMPLOYEE CAPABILITIES FOR LEVERAGING AI NEEDS TO GO BEYOND THE TECHNICAL

In a recent global survey we conducted with our research partner i4cp (the Institute for Corporate Productivity) it was revealed that 52% of leaders didn’t think their organisation effectively upskilled or reskilled their employees in order to meet future job demands and opportunities. In the age of artificial intelligence (AI) we are predicting a critical need for organisations to recognise the hard and soft skills required to enable organisations to understand and effectively leverage this transformative technology to support performance and productivity.

Capturing benefit from technological innovations such as AI and machine learning often focus on the skill uplift investments needed in technical skills such as coding and development. However, imminent and widescale adoption of generative AI technology, we believe, demands the development of complimentary human skills to enable effective uptake and application on AI to create commercial advantage. Specifically, we see the need to invest in problem solving, creative thinking, critical thinking and stakeholder engagement and influence capabilities as being at the top of the agenda.

CAPABILITY CONSIDERATIONS FOR GENERATIVE AI ADOPTION

Ethical Understanding:

Whilst not a new capability, the need for considered development of Ethics as it relates to decision making with new technologies is of critical importance not only in protecting individuals, but also in protecting organisations and communities. Those organisation who seek to be on the leading edge of AI stand to make seismic productivity and innovation gains, but also stand to lose significantly where ethical considerations are not deliberately managed. Data privacy is an immediate and obvious consideration; what data is available is of often the first question but how is data being acquired and what are the implications, legally and ethically, for using it must be critical considerations for those organisations seeking to benefit from AI.

The potential implications for discrimination, inclusion and equity is also an immediate issue. This requires critical examination of inherent biases in data sets and more broadly, consideration of the role of organisations in ensuring their work and role in the business and broader community is not further embedding biases in immediate and longer-term data sets.

Finally, there will no doubt be many examples of technologies and products that will become available that may be possible, legal and commercially attractive, but that may require deep consideration of their connectivity to organisational purpose, community good, ethics and even morality. At the heart of this, organisations, leaders and employees should be asked to own the implications current and future of the work that they do and consider ‘what we stand for’ as a determinant for what we choose to develop.

Creative and Critical Thinking:

Generative AI requires two critical ingredients to generate significant value. Creative thinking and critical thinking. Creative thinking facilitates the ability to envision innovative applications of generative AI in their respective domains. Put simply, what problems could we point this technology towards?

Secondly, what thinking patterns and structured problem analysis practices are then used to identify flaws, inconsistencies and further avenues within AI generated content. This enables AI generated outcomes to be validated, iteration and fine tuned. 

Emotional Intelligence Embedded in Design Thinking:

While AI models can generate content, the oversight of humans with highly evolved skills in understanding human emotionality will be critical. As a starting point, human centred design, a method used to support product design and problem solving more broadly, requires deep understanding of and empathy with people and communities. This anchors problem solving to the real needs and aspiration of people and communities.

At a more immediate level, the analysis of AI generated content with a critical eye towards EQ will enable modification of output to match the desired human response. This requires employees who understand individual and group needs, who can anticipate reactions to content and modify accordingly to ensure that AI generated content evokes the intended emotional responses.

Developing employees emotional intelligence will also help them anticipate and address ethical considerations and potential biases embedded within the AI model, further promoting responsible and inclusive use of generative AI.



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