What’s Missing from Today’s Conversations About AI
Photo by Google DeepMind via Pexels
Generative AI is a major technology inflection point that is transforming our world. For the past fifty years, technology has been the catalyst for change, shaping how we work, connect, and compete. From personal computers and the internet to smartphones and robotics, each wave has redefined business operations. Melonie Dodaro recently shared insights from a recent Forrester report on the impact of AI on B2BMarketing and Sales.
AI generated results depend on the quality of their datasets and LLMs. One way to collect and validate your own data. This gives complete control over what the tools will use to perform analysis. The time to do this level of data collection and engineering can be significant. Depending on how you use the data, the delay may affect your results.
In most situations, building your own data set is not practical. If you are doing market research, you need data that you cannot possibly collect. You need data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the Department of Commerce, the Chamber of Commerce, financial disclosures, and other consumer and economic data. There are two major weaknesses in this type of data. BLS data that is less than a year old is more useful than information from several years ago. The credibility of the source also affects the reliability of the data. Consumer sentiment data from the University of Michigan’s monthly survey is more reliable than anecdotal data from social media platforms.
When I do research for my newsletter, searches often return data that is several years old. I also see first-page results from social media clickbait sites. When we use AI, these weaknesses are often hidden from view because the writing is well done, sources are not cited, and links to referenced articles are not provided.
The solution to this was provided to us in one of the earliest demonstrations of Generative AI. In February 2011, IBM’s Watson played Jeopardy. It defeated Ken Jennings 74 consecutive wins) and Brad Rutter (the largest money winner). When Watson gave the question to an answer on the board, it showed three responses with a degree of confidence rating.
Source: Still Frame on Wikimedia Commons / Jeopardy Productions
It would be nice if today’s AI platforms, which are amazing, shared information about the degree of confidence. With this feedback, we will be able to use the results more effectively.
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Quotes
“Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.”
- Albert Einstein
“Innovation is to imagine the future and fill in the gaps.”
- Brian Halligan
“Great things are not accomplished by those who yield to trends and fads and popular opinion.”
- Jack Kerouac
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I write about leadership in business and life. I am a certified M&A Specialist and Leadership coach. My perspectives are based on my 40+ year career working with leaders from around the world at over 100 companies.
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