AI / ML
“ When everyone is using AI to some degree , familiar tropes become problematic ”
SAM RANSBOTHAM PROFESSOR AT BOSTON COLLEGE ; AI EDITOR AT MIT SLOAN MANAGEMENT REVIEW
" AI use in business is now pervasive ,” says Sam Ransbotham , Professor of Analytics at Boston College . “ Many technologies have embedded , even hidden , AI components that workers may not even be aware of . When everyone is using AI to some degree – and getting value from it – familiar tropes become problematic . The idea that managers who use AI will replace managers who don ' t , loses meaning when everyone is using AI ."
AI use is so pervasive , in fact , that individual workers may take some of its applications for granted . According to the findings , 66 % of individuals report that they do not use AI or use it only minimally . But when prompted with specific examples of AI-enhanced business applications – office productivity applications , calendar schedulers , and customer relationship management software , for example – 43 % of respondents acknowledge they regularly or sometimes use business products with AI .
“ When individuals don ’ t know that they are using AI , they naturally have a harder time recognising its value ,” says François Candelon , Global Director of the BCG Henderson Institute and coauthor of the report . “ But our research shows that employees using AI knowingly are 1.6 times more likely to get individual value , and 1.8 times more likely to be satisfied with their jobs , than those who do not realise they use AI .”
The survey revealed that many respondents think that using AI has improved interactions with their team members ( 56 %), with their managers ( 47 %), and with other people in their departments ( 52 %), in addition to helping them feel more capable in their job performance .
“ To obtain the financial and organisational benefits of AI , managers must promote a virtuous cycle of use and value at the individual level by cultivating trust , understanding , agency , and awareness of the technology ,” says Shervin Khodabandeh , a Senior Partner and Managing Director at BCG , co-leader of GAMMA in North America , and a co-author of the report . “ The relationship between individual and organisational value from AI is additive , not zero-sum .”