Eye on HR: Human+machine = ?

At the risk of this turning into an AI lobbying column, such has been the pace and scale of OpenAI’s latest breakout star dominating the world’s media in the last seven days, I think there’s definitely enough AI to talk about for at least one more week.

OpenAI, the company co-founded by Elon Musk, made major headlines in 2021 with its DALL-E illustration tool, a 21st century Microsoft Paint progenitor that would soon wreak its Frankenstein-like imagery upon a AI-curious public, with just a sprinkling of text commands. Microsoft just took a 49% stake in OpenAI, so they’re clearly betting big.

Taylor Swift doing the conga? Reed Hastings dressed as Morticia Addams? Both in scope. Of course, the engine driving this artistic firestorm was undeniably impressive, but the actual results probably made a lot of people think, ‘they’re not coming for our jobs anytime soon – at least not the artistic ones’. And while there may be jokes to be had at DALL-E’s expense, it seems ChatGPT is a whole level on from this; just consider all the applications that have sprung up in just the last week. You can look have a look through a few here.

All that said, this truly could be, as Peter Hinssen suggested in his pair of keynotes at our UNLEASH shows in 2022, the era of human plus machine – not human versus machine.

This is all a precursor to one of the most interesting stories of this last week. Have you heard the one about the AI lawyer? Yes, it’s that story in the last week or so of a man who could be defended by an artificial intelligence attorney. Is it even legal? UNLEASH the thinkpieces!

The moral, legal and financial paradigms of this idea will be analyzed at great length, but assuming those angles are covered, we can now view this scenario with the fascination it deserves. Is this human plus machine or human versus machine? It’s both – the defendant is being technologically augmented, but a lawyer could be missing out on a job.

A use case idea: what if AI was used to replace the pro bono work that many lawyers often spend considerable time on? Believe me, I’ve worked in law and stacks of paper as tall as I am dotted around the office are not uncommon. (6’4″, thanks for asking). More on this fascinating story here. We are at the vanguard of this technology and the start of a journey. Let’s see where it takes us.

Layoffs: Instability could lead to opportunity

Unfortunately, layoffs are still looming large over many industries, as organizations the world over course-correct after an eventful 24 months across the hiring landscape. If, IF, we ever reach a state of equilibrium, I wonder where we would all end up? Will there be yet another wave of pay hikes and hiring sprees?

As Dan Cave writes for UNLEASH about the opportunity of tech layoffs this week:

“It seems the follow-on is if smaller tech firms, or businesses outside of technology, can use this moment to reflect on what their skills and needs are…learning from the actions of Big Tech over the last couple of years, hiring smartly and investing in an effective and tailored manner — and not acting like Christmas has come early because so much talent is now available.”

Amidst the commotion it’s on us to find the opportunity and the success stories. We will see an increase in startups as the year goes on as talented, time-rich tech folks use their severance pay to bootstrap that small business they never had time for? The 2020s could be the most innovative decade in years.

A haunting voice of reason

Thanks to the autoplay function on YouTube, I’ve heard the first few seconds of the UNLEASH World 2022 trailer more times than I can remember. But I love it. It features the words of Sir Bob Geldof, a previous keynote speaker of ours. His words are prescient. They could apply to any year. Any job. Any industry. And no matter many times I hear them, they resonate.

‘Try to stay ahead of the curve. Try to wake up in the morning with something to do. But there’s got to be more…”

Even though it was an official theme of the 2022 Paris show, it should be the guiding principle in every job you ever do for every company that ever employs you.

PURPOSE. It overrides everything. If culture is the by-product of consistent behavior, purpose is the reason for that behavior. I wonder who I’ll be quoting this time next year?

The International Festival of HR is back! Discover amazing speakers from the world of HR and business at UNLEASH America on 26-27 April 2023.