Will AI Really Replace Us?
In September 1989, I started in my first full-time job as a Researcher at an executive recruiting firm. My job was to help the consultants identify potential qualified candidates and expand our reach beyond just those applicants who responded to advertisements.
At that time, the firm’s only “computer” was a dedicated word processor used by the administrative staff. There was no Internet as we know it today. My role consisted of tracking down industry and professional directories (books) and identifying the names, positions, company name, address and phone numbers of people who met the criteria for our search. This made up the networking list of people we would contact.
This process could take upwards of a week to identify 50-100 contacts. I would handwrite the list and give it to the admin who would then type them into the word processor, merge the contacts with a letter and mail it out. If someone was interested, I would ask them to mail us their resume (no fax or email yet) and wait up to a week for it to arrive. The consultant and I would then review the resumes, select the most qualified candidates and set up interviews. All in all, this process could take 3-4 weeks before we had qualified candidates to interview.
The other task I tackled was a review of the massive collection of thousands of resumes and closed search files that we had acquired over (then) 15 years in business. These were stored in binders or in four large filing cabinets. I’ll leave the rest to your imagination.
As a new grad who grew up on computers, you could see the potential of technology to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our processes. By 1990 we had our first PC. We designed a resume database searchable by function, industry and other key fields. We later embraced email, created our first webpage and used the internet for search well before other competitors and clients.
By the mid-1990s we had differentiated ourselves considerably in the market and become thought-leaders on the use of the Internet in business, drawing candidates from around the world to Nova Scotia. And I went on to become a full-time consultant and eventually equity partner in the firm. So good for me and good for the firm.
“So why the walk down memory lane, Boomer?” I hear you say.
Well, today Artificial Intelligence is been seen as the next revolution and many predict it will be the end of many jobs - including Human Resources. However, as the example above demonstrates, technology is a tool that can enhance how we deliver key products and services, and those who see the potential first can gain significant advantage and opportunity. In this case, technology streamlined the mundane and allowed us to focus on the areas where human connection, intuition and judgement are essential to engage, evaluate, communicate and connect with candidates and clients on critical hires.
The promise and threat of AI – as with any enabling technology – requires us to constantly evolve our practices to embrace the potential but never lose sight of what our value-added role is as professionals. That said, it is clear that for today’s worker – and employers –must be curious, embrace and use new technology, find out where it adds value and where it doesn’t, and create the proper risk management framework to ensure that we’re not relying too heavily on developing technology where there are still many ethical, legal and moral quagmires to be navigated. We have already seen early missteps where AI has been relied on for legal research, consulting reports and on the battlefield.
I’ll leave you with the following: In a recent webcast hosted by Cisco, Sam Altman, Founder & CEO of OpenAI suggested that “companies that can’t figure out how to adapt AI co-workers will all behind.” He and others described how they create teams of ‘digital executives and assistants’ that are trained to specialize in certain disciplines including research, financial analysis, product design, coding, and reading and responding to email.
Coding, it turns out, is one of the first jobs that AI is incredibly good at - Kevin Scott, CTO of Microsoft to lament how many computer science schools turned into ‘vocational schools for coders’ instead of creating computer scientists who can think broadly and critically. Even within the community that created AI is lamenting the lack of focus on having humans working to their highest scope of practice.
I am fascinated by the potential of technology to improve work process, enhance strategy, increase competitiveness and support better decision making. Since my start in consulting to major enterprise IT projects in the private and public sectors, I have been focused on the people and culture side of technology-driven change. If you’re thinking about the threats and opportunities facing your business and people, I would be happy to chat.
Recommended Reading: Power and Prediction: The Disruptive Economics of Artificial Intelligence, Agriwal, Gans & Goldfarb, Harvard Business Review Press, 2022. Well written and incredibly insightful from three Canadian leaders from The Creative Destruction Lab and Rotman School of Management.
Recommended Listening: Olufar Arnalds, Trance Frendz. I first became aware of Arnalds’ music from his brilliant soundtrack to the British TV drama ‘Broadchurch’. His ambient and classical music is a constant inspiration and backdrop when I need to think deeply or chill out after a long day. This is a collaboration with Nils Frahm, another fantastic musician.