LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Recently , I was asked to write an article on a topic I thought was important in today ’ s technology landscape . I immediately thought of the recent surge and focus on Artificial Intelligence ( AI ) in the media , in industry information , in websites and education , and as tools for various aspects of business . I noticed how AI had crept into many areas of life somewhat quietly . What started as a friendly and always available — although often unsatisfying — websitesupport chatbot had now moved into other places where I would not have predicted AI would appear .
We can all agree that phone trees are bad enough , forcing you to navigate a series of questions with a keypad response . But now , I see the tree has also become an AI bot that starts talking back to you , sounding like a real person , then refusing to accept a keypad input for a response or misinterpreting a verbal response and asking and repeating questions that have no bearing on your issue with no way out of the insane loop . Slow down here . Where did all the people go ?
Is this the way of the future , where there won ’ t be any service delivered by humans , where help is not available to solve a problem or answer a question ? Will we have to go to a screen in a store to ask an AI bot for assistance and be greeted with the same lack of service as we experience from website chatbots ?
Indeed , AI offers a range of benefits that can be implemented in business to provide high-quality service that typically would not require a human to offer , but is this current move to AI being fueled by a real problem in hiring qualified people to provide service or by a rush to cut costs and improve profits without weighing the long-term effects on customer loyalty ?
I recently heard a statement from Adam Grant , author of Hidden Potential : The Science of Achieving Greater Things , that described my discomfort with using AI to replace people in areas of business that rely heavily on the human touch and customer service . He stated that humans elevated themselves above animals through the ability to perform cognitive , learned tasks . Our character skills , discipline , determination , and proactivity elevate humans above machines . We can ’ t teach a machine how to be human . Empathy , the human experience , and communication separate us from AI machines and make humans more valuable than machines .
The stories in this edition highlight the human interactions we rely on to build relationships , solve problems , and grow our businesses . They emphasize how we are not machines and what matters when interacting with each other and our clients .
If you feel that it is difficult to find and hire qualified staff and are looking at AI as a service solution , read our article from Dr . Geoff Smart , co-author of Who : The A Method for Hiring and CEO of ghSmart , where he shares his insights into the successful hiring methods for building an effective team that can be implemented in your own business .
For an inspiring article , Robert Herjavec from ABC ’ s Shark Tank shares his perspective on building a successful business , the importance of sales as a critical business function , rejecting mediocrity , and the value of client relationships . Each of these vital functions depends on people delivering service .
But don ’ t just take my word for it . This edition ’ s Client Spotlight from Tanya Minor , Clinic Director of Valley Children ’ s Clinic , details her perspective on over 25 years of IT service delivery from the same provider . She illustrates the value placed on the very qualities that AI can never provide : human interaction , problemsolving , loyalty , and people serving people .
It is my sincerest hope that you will find inspiration , as I have , from the individuals who have graciously contributed to this edition of IT for the Future of Texas Business .
Holly Fullingim , CEO Quick Compute , Inc . QuickCompute . com
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