Right now, it feels as if we are collectively choking on the ubiquity of Artificial Intelligence. With the ultra-uber hype promising us that everything will be better, stronger, faster with AI, what could wrong?
More importantly, what could go right? Will this technology be the silver bullet everyone wants or expects it to be?
Only time will tell.
But if history tells us anything, it’s that in the end, AI won’t be as horrible as some for tell. Nor will it be as amazing as others believe. Just look at what happened to half a dozen other trendy, save-the-world business practices and technologies. Some have come and gone while others are still kicking around.
With AI, We're Well Beyond Other Biz Trends. (But Not Really.)
Remember Synergy? You should, the concept has been floating around since the 1960’s - and it's just as cringy now as it was then. Why? Because it rarely represents a value equation that is equitable for all parties involved - the brand, the company, the product and the customer.
Basically, it's corporate speak that may sound great in the boardroom but ultimately misses the mark on main street. Conceptually, it makes sense. Unfortunately, the execution of Synergy leaves much to be desired.
As a result, the cumulative, latent effect of a synergistic approach (as implemented in most cases) creates a customer base that is jaded, suspect and conditioned to be underwhelmed, or worse, to expect less. (hold this thought, and please take a brief moment to view the "Synergy Speech" from the movie In Good Company).
As Synergy faded to a meager, meh, along came other bright, and shiny new ideas such as, digital integration, omni-channel, change management, digital transformation, data strategy, CX strategy, the metaverse (ugh) and let's not forget NFTs (double ugh).
In their time, they were each as ubiquitous as artificial intelligence is today. To be fair, most of these still have merit and warrant the attention of organizations as critical pathways to create value, generate revenue and most importantly, differentiate businesses and their brands with a strategic and competitive advantage.
As potential game-changers, these types of initiatives are incredibly hard to get started - let alone follow through and develop top-down, company-wide programs that deliver for the long-haul.
Within the paragon of business improvement concepts, best practices and new technology, the challenge they have in common is a required macro, top-down level of commitment to realize substantive and justified levels of ROI.
With AI, It Is very Different.
What makes AI so special is that practically every company and person on the planet sees it fist as an accessible technology, and a transformational initiative second.
// Organizations can get their heads and their arms wrapped around what it is and how/where it can be used
// At its core, it is a technology rather than a way of doing business
// This technology is incredibly versatile with a crazy amount of applications that can be connected to an extended across the entire company
// AI can be deployed more compactly in one-off situations that are more manageable to implement and in turn represents a lower initial investment
What does all that add up to? A more equitable value equation for the company, the product, the brand and the consumer.
For now AI is all around us - only to become more ever-present and invasive.
What's next? We all have to get started...
Be sure to checkout part two of this three part blog series that documents my early forays into co-creating with Artificial Intelligence. In my next blog I'll share early stage development and workflow from ChatGPT4 (writing) to Midjourney (images) to Pika (video).