Introducing our newest colleague, A.I.

These days, you can’t get through a scroll through the news, a meeting agenda, or a water cooler conversation without someone bringing up artificial intelligence (AI). Some headlines are frightening, while others tout the arrival of generative AI as the next industrial revolution. Whichever camp you fall into, one thing is clear. That’s because technology is advancing so fast that it’s only natural to want to stick your head in and wait for the future to unfold.

But that’s wrong. As working women, we need to stay ahead of (or at least catch up with) technologies that have as dramatic an impact as generative AI. We need a seat at this virtual table to ensure that our voices are heard, our opinions are considered, and that we are drivers of this engine of change.

what teeth AI?

AI is the simulation of human processes by machines, usually computer systems. Generative AI (GenAI) uses artificial intelligence to create new content such as images, songs, text, and videos. When implemented properly, GenAI can streamline tedious processes, increase employee productivity, and, in turn, enable you to take advantage of upskilling opportunities.

At work, I’ve used Microsoft 365 CoPilot Assistant, a GenAI tool, with some success. At ICF, we have made thoughtful investments in AI to improve the efficiency of our internal processes while piloting solutions on behalf of public sector and commercial clients. The conversation is inclusive but positive, and there is always an equity lens when thinking about how we use this technology in our work.

As we look to the future of work and the role GenAI will play, I took some time to discuss the situation with colleagues Christine Plunkett and Whitney Millegan, who have been closely following the rise and adoption of GenAI. . During our conversation, I was surprised to learn how much knowledge I and most of the country’s citizens have. already I am using GenAI.

Wait, are you already using it?

Believe it or not, GenAI may already be disrupting your weekend plans. “If you’re watching a show recommended by Netflix, you’re using AI,” Millegan said. “It’s the same with online shopping. If you’ve ever resized a sweatshirt in your cart based on Amazon’s recommendations, or decided to try a suggested product.” It’s already all around us, built into the tools we use every day, from Spotify playlists to GPS apps.

“We hope that by showing how GenAI is used in our daily lives, we can take away some of the fear factor,” Plunkett said. “AI is not the ‘tool to end all tools’; think of it as one tool in her toolkit,” she added.

Are bots coming to do my job?

Millegan points out that there are many examples in recent history where fears about innovation were largely unfounded. “When ATMs were introduced, there was panic among tellers that their jobs would be lost. That was not the case. After all, ATMs provide access to banking services. We just provide an additional way to do that.”

she is right Last week, my debit card was compromised and I had to go to a brick-and-mortar retail banking branch to receive a new debit card. The branch was full of friendly tellers.

GenAI won’t necessarily put anyone out of work right away, but this technology will change the workforce, and if you don’t understand what it is and how to work with it, you can be left behind. There is a gender. Plunkett cautions against ignoring some of the realities of how AI will affect jobs. “Instead, GenAI works best when we continue to focus on teaming humans and AI as the engine to create exponential value,” she instructs.At the end of the day, GenAI works best and human.

Master GenAI

If you’re not yet ready to dive into GenAI at work, think about how you can experiment with this technology in your personal life. For example, Millegan uses his ChatGPT to create prompts when practicing creative writing. You can also ask apps like Bard to give you a first pass when toasting at an upcoming event. Tapping on ChatGPT is a productive way to significantly enhance your first draft, whether it’s your next social media post or the party theme for your next karaoke night.

“Learning and becoming familiar with AI will help ensure long-term success in the future, even as the nature of work may evolve,” adds Plunkett.

improve productivity

If you’re ready to implement GenAI to increase productivity in your workplace, it’s important to know what GenAI is and isn’t suitable for. In general, GenAI serves as a reading and writing assistant.

“I write using AI tools as first drafts in C+,” says Plunkett. “For me, the great application of this technology is that it allows you to get past the ‘get started’ challenge with something you can react to. But I never intend to publish or send it out without extensive review and rewriting. ” Plunkett often uses AI to summarize very long research documents. We recognize that this is a good starting point for analysis, but not the final point of analysis.

Millegan sometimes uses Microsoft’s CoPilot to fill the gaps in her calendar filled with virtual meetings. “If she’s a minute or two late for a meeting, I say, please include a transcript of the chat and see what conversations she missed.” Develop and kickstart a text document that he may also upload to the presentation deck. “It’s a good place to start, but it’s not a good place to end,” Millegan says.

Is AI my new favorite colleague?

Millegan cautions that so far GenAI is not good at making leaps of logic or reason in its drafts. This is probably the most disappointing discovery ever. When it comes to work-life balance, what I need the most help with is managing the “mental load” – the invisible emotional and cognitive load of managing a household.

As a mother of three and a caregiver for an elderly person, it’s a tough balance. I wanted GenAI to take the logistics and action items out of my head and cross them off my to-do list. In reality, we are not there yet. But maybe that’s a good thing after all.

The human part of our work – understanding human behavior, risks, pitfalls, connections and nuances – cannot be replicated. That’s why the connection between humans and AI is the driving force behind creating real value.