With AI (artificial intelligence) growing more and more sophisticated, it can replace more and more jobs once held by humans. Over the next few years, the working landscape will radically change because of AI, and its leaders will need to be ready for it. While delivering on financial performance will still be the main priority of leaders, they must also make significant investments in hiring, training, and new technologies. But there is the looming question: will leaders someday be replaced by AI?
Will there be AI leaders?
According to Dr. David De Cremer, author of “Leadership By Algorithm: Who Leads and Who Follows in the AI Era?” the short answer is “no,” so rest easy. This is because AI will never have a “soul” that allows it to develop human qualities like creativity and seeing new perspectives. So leaders will always have a place in the world, even in the AI era, though the world itself will be drastically different.
Chief of Artificial Intelligence
Though there will always be a need for that human touch, AI could significantly help leaders by automated menial grunt work, allowing humans more time to focus on the strategic activities that a computer can’t replicate. While it may erase the need for some humans in specific roles, it will also create new ones. The IT departments will only grow as more computers are being used, and there might even be a position in the C-suite someday called “Chief of Artificial Intelligence.”
What can leaders do?
The three things leaders can do are reallocate capital, invest in employee reskilling, and educate for the future. The best time to start doing all these things is now. Not only will you have to invest in new technologies to keep up with the latest in AI, but you will also need to hire new people that can work with AI and reskill the employees you currently have. Your workers may very well see the most significant change of the new era. To keep your organization from falling behind, you have to educate them on it as well as educate yourself.