Those of you who remember tomato ketchup in glass bottles (as opposed to the squeezy kind) will remember how you had to shake and shake the bottle for what seemed like eternity and then suddenly you found yourself covered in ketchup. Things are much better these days.

I’m reminded of this by the AI debate.  AI has been around for a very long time, it has been improving productivity, it has been destroying jobs, it has been creating other jobs, we have been shaking the AI bottle.  Suddenly, if you believe all you read, it’s everywhere and unlike ketchup it is creating fear and concern. 

Is this the end of humanity, will it eat our jobs or will it open up a great new future for us all?  The important thing to remember is that like many new technologies AI, in its new guise of Generative AI (same ketchup, fancier bottle) has the capability to do many of those things. 

The analogy with nuclear power is obvious, the analogy with the technology that came with the industrial revolution is also clear.  All new technologies present challenges for politicians, for leaders and for workers.  There will be job losses (and not just in blue collar jobs), there will be new jobs, but they will not appear at the same time as the losses.  The same old storm clouds are there but so are the silver linings for those who choose to look and prepare.

So this is something for the big corporations to worry about?  Well, no.  Every business will be affected, from the corner store that may get better, cheaper admin systems, to improving the complex systems of multinationals. Jobs that involve data mining and analysis will go, auditors, junior lawyers, analysts, researchers, including a lot of what we would describe as “professional” work. 

What will remain are jobs that will require experienced creative analysis (senior lawyers, very smart accountants for example); those jobs that require creativity, and the large number of jobs that need human to human contact.  AI will not make you tea in a crisis, it will not mix you a drink and listen to your stories, it will not care for you when you get old or ill – though it may improve the treatment you get.  It will not make you feel safe and cared for– these are things humans do.

There are real opportunities here for businesses that can offer the human touch. I teach people in business always to look for the silver lining in a crisis.   What should you do?  Study AI, assess the damage it can do to your business.  Then put that behind you and work out how to pivot. 

What are your opportunities, what are your talents?  Can you work with your customers or your suppliers to create something really innovative that takes advantage of the new technologies and marries them with the old human skills? That way we use what humans have invented for human benefit and make a better world.