I am a trekkie. The best of all time is Star Trek: Next Generation, with one of my favourite characters, Lieutenant Commander Data. There are several ways to describe Data: android, synthetic life, sapient, and sentient, but for this discussion, Commander Data is AI with superior machine learning capabilities that, by the end of the series, develops emotional intelligence and feelings that mirror human beings.
The future of business is technology. AI is already driving innovation and efficiencies. What about leadership? If your senior leadership appointed AI as the leader of your team, could you report to and work with them?
Some people might say their current leader feels robotic, so that wouldn’t make much of a difference, but shadiness aside, what could this mean?
The good
- Clarity of performance measurements
- Consistent logic
- Efficiencies and automation
- Continuous learning
The bad
- Learned bias
- Emotional unavailability
- Job loss
- Senior leader monitoring and pressure
From a sustainability lens, employees may not have to deal with micro-aggressive and passive behaviours and the pressures of in and out-groups. However, learned bias, as mentioned above, could be an issue depending on the culture of the leadership team. Economically, having AI as part of the leadership team will be a long-term cost-saving measure.
The future with Commander Data or something similar leading a team is close.
What say you? What would you do if AI was the leader of your team?