I just finished watching a presentation about the future of artificial intelligence (A.I.) by Howard Getson, CEO of Capitalogix. Capitalogix uses A.I. to perform high-speed research to make high-frequency trades for investment portfolios. Howard Getson has been studying A.I. since he founded the company in 2000.
According to Mr. Getson, A.I. is a development that is as significant as the discoveries of how to make fire, the wheel, automobiles, and the internet. There will probably be unexpected developments that result from A.I., like the disappearance of CompUSA, Circuit City and Radio Shack after the growth of the internet.
Mr. Getson suggested we should be aware of A.I. as useful technology, and not be too consumed with A.I. tools. The technology is moving so fast that everything that seems exciting right now will be obsolete in months. We are now in the very early stages of this technology, so don’t be afraid you’ve already “missed the boat.”
Instead of the tools, think about how A.I. can be used to make progress to what you want. Focus on what the results are and what helps people.
The best way to invest in A.I. is to use it to accelerate growing a business. It provides a possibility of moving from linear growth to exponential growth. When thinking about how A.I. can be used in your business, remember to also focus on what doesn’t change. A good approach for using A.I. is to identify a goal, and then say, “This can’t happen unless…” That could be where to use an A.I. application.
The strength of A.I. isn’t predicting better. It’s gathering knowledge faster that can be used to take action.
How can A.I. be used to free ourselves to better use our unique abilities? Think of using A.I. like hiring an employee. The idea isn’t to replace ourselves in the areas we are gifted, but to supplement our weaknesses without supplanting our strengths. For example, copywriters are unique in their ability to identify markets and their ability to create irresistible offers that A.I. can’t match. A.I. can amplify our identity. Mr. Getson said he is now a “portfolio manager who doesn’t manage a portfolio.” His A.I. software is doing the managing.
There will be multiple A.I. applications. A business leader will be like the conductor of an orchestra, so they will work together harmoniously.
Right now, we should make a commitment to get started and make incremental gains in our use and understanding of A.I. by practicing using it.
We ain’t seen nothing, yet!