Twenty minutes after walking in and my stress levels soar. Now let’s be clear, these overwhelming feelings didn’t last the entire MLCV Leadership Conference. There were good parts, too, incredible parts — like meeting virtual colleagues for the first time “in real life” and gaining a deeper understanding of our organization’s mindset. But I want to tell a story of those often pushed away feelings, the ones we try hard to smile through (for our good and the aura of others).

It’s Tuesday morning, day one of the 2023 MLCV Leadership Conference, and keynote speaker Garry Golden is up first. Garry is a talented Futurist who received his master’s from the University of Houston Futures Studies program. The curriculum is one of two in the entire country. His career leads him to scan for signals of change, imagine implications, and inspire people to move forward.

Garry’s presentation introduced his prediction of Artificial Intelligence (AI) becoming an inevitable character in the workplace. While most of us have been interacting with AI for years through customer service chatbots or voice assistants like Alexa or Siri, it wasn’t until recently that Generative AI systems like ChatGPT and DALL-E made their introduction and have become increasingly popular. These machine learning models are calibrated with internet data as massive as one million feet of bookshelf space, which trains the algorithms to mimic human creation in text, video, image, audio, and more. Generative AI models are built on language and neural networks — connecting the dots of held information each time it’s asked a question, inspired by, you guessed it, the human brain.

So, twenty minutes in, my stress levels soar. In my mind, I hear a sequence of thoughts- AI isn’t going to take my job. AI isn’t going to take my job? AI is going to take my job.

But how could that be? What makes this a plausible event I couldn’t help but automatically fear? Here’s what we learned: Generative AI machine learning models have improved their intelligence and likely will continue to do so. The newest model, GPT -4, scored in the 90th percentile on the Uniform Bar Exam and the 93rd on the Evidence-based Reading and Writing SAT. And it scored a 75% on the Medical Knowledge Self-Assessment, while a study in JAMA Internal Medicine found that the AI system was more empathetic and accurate than actual doctors.

You can see why this would be a lot for anybody to digest, no matter their industry. Now, it’s nearing the end of day two. Before having a full-blown panic attack, I’ve taken a moment to draft out some good that Generative AI could contribute in the workplace and in which areas issues may arise if the idea of ChatGPT having its seat at the MLCV table rings true.

What Place Could Generative AI Have in The Workplace?

A Tool, Not a Crutch

Incorporating Generative AI as an additional team resource doesn’t sound too obscure. We already use programs like Grammarly to check for grammatical errors in our writing, and many teachers use Turnitin to help spot plagiarism and educate students, both forms of AI. But these programs both have a common theme; we use them to make us better, not for them to be better than us. I like to believe most people don’t want to give up their creative and critical thinking skills but look for ways to improve them. Perhaps Generative AI models could improve efficiency and abilities in certain business areas — everything in moderation.

What Issues Could Generative AI Create?

A Soul is Missing

I put my heart in my writing. Each time I put pen to paper or, in this case, fingers to keyboard, I also put heart to mind. I think about how I feel, how my main character may feel, and how my audience may feel. These things matter. And I am hard-pressed to accept that machine learning models can do the same. And if you’re a lucky organization, one with heart, you know that tone of voice is special and can’t be replicated by data on the internet. No matter how intelligent, there is no soul. Open AI shares a disclaimer on the service, “Language models like ChatGPT are designed to simulate human language patterns and to generate responses that are similar to how a human might respond, but they do not have the ability to produce human-like speech.”

Risk Ahead

There’s no question this is risky business. And I don’t consider risks bad for a company. Taking risks sets you apart and catapults you to new levels. Risk is needed. But I think those of Generative AI replacing human production need a thorough examination. Today, I’ll mention a few:

Plagiarism. ChatGPT provides no references, sources, footnotes, or links. We are giving our complete trust in technology to do the right thing and provide accurate facts. Plagiarism can lead to lawsuits, which can damage a corporation’s reputation and, not to mention, can cost a pretty penny, too.
Unprofessional. If an organization uses Generative AI to imitate employees and the work they cultivate, it can diminish its authority. It could be viewed as a lack of respect or care for the deliverables or its Associates. Take writing, for example; it isn’t a cut-and-dry task. There’s research, interviewing, there’s mulling over an idea for a few days before even getting started, there’s the fact-checking, the 2 a.m. “brain blink” with a brilliant headline, and reading it out loud to family or friends. There’s thought and depth and breadth of experience and effort.

The MLCV Mindset

As the conference came to a close, I was reassured. Really, I knew it all along — in that heart of mine I keep mentioning. MLCV is about people. We are about bettering the lives of people. It’s in our mission and embedded in our culture. We know how meaningful human relationships are and cherish those of our Associates and community members. And yes, as MLCV’s CEO, Joe Nayquonabe, stated during his Leadership Address, “We are going to the moon,” definite in our future ideas, goals, and business decisions. But we keep the wisdom of our past close by. And that sentiment wraps me in comfort.

Did Garry say AI was out to get mine or anyone else’s job? No. But a worry-filled mind can plant that seed. And let me tell you, the topic stressed me out. But here’s the thing — all change is stressful, but not all stress is bad. It’s about building resilience, a skill all of us can obtain. (Thanks, Dr. G.), Wednesday’s Keynote Speaker.

Sources:

Generative AI is here: How tools like ChatGPT could change your business. (2022, December 20). QuantumBlack AI by McKinsey. Retrieved May 19, 2023, from https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/quantumblack/our-insights/generative-ai-is-here-how-tools-like-chatgpt-could-change-your-business

Golden, G. (2023, May 16). The Slow Pace of Fast Change. The Art & Science of Thinking Like a Futurist. [Conference Keynote]. Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures Leadership Conference, Hinckley, MN.

Hughes, O. (2023, May 4). Generative AI defined: How it works, benefits and danger. Tech Republic. https://www.techrepublic.com/article/what-is-generative-ai/

OpenAI. https://openai.com/

This article was written by Hannah Torkelson, MLCV’s Senior Communications Strategist. Hannah is a storyteller and is responsible for capturing great moments within MLCV’s portfolio.