2020 Foresight: How to compete with Artificial Intelligence

Let’s get real – there is no such thing as AI yet. At best, when people talk about Artificial Intelligence they really mean machine learning. By some predictions, we won’t see truly intelligent machines until the 2030s or later.

But the 2020s will see more smart machines such as house cleaning robots, self-driving cars and autonomous drones. What are the implications for us mere mortals? According to a McKinsey study, 800 million repetitive, process-driven jobs globally will be taken over by AI and robots by the end of the coming decade.

The race to adjust is well and truly underway. I hear this especially in the banking sector, where CEOs readily admit staff must adapt to secure their jobs. They put on brave faces by saying robo-advisors – algorithms that allocate clients’ assets into model portfolios – are more likely to be used by human Relationship Managers and Client Advisors to support their interactions with clients, than to put those same platforms directly at the self-service disposal of high net worth individuals.

But this assumes human RMs add value in ways machines can’t. I’m not seeing it. All too often they are so young they could be the grandchildren of the wealthy clients they are tasked to advise. These 20-something RMs would do well to learn how to engage a 60-something in conversation, because anyone whose job is under threat from a machine must find ways to develop qualities no AI can copy or compete with; to focus on what makes them unique; what it really means to be human. Jack Ma, for example, advises honing your soft skills, such as in music, sport or art.

The good news is, you are unique. Every person has a combination of the 34 CliftonStrengths Talent Themes that is so rare there is a less than one in 33 million chance someone else has the same top 10 Talent Themes as you.

However, it’s not enough to have talent. That talent has to be nurtured and developed. A knack for doing certain things isn’t a strength unless you hone your skills and knowledge by investing time in developing your talents to near-perfect ability.

Even if the AI can complete your task perfectly, it can’t do so in your unique, human way. That’s why it’s essential you develop your talents to compete in an AI world. No wonder soft skills are now called essential skills.

Be AI-ready – If you are heading for a leadership position in the 2020s, your job is going to be more complicated than any manager who’s gone before you. No matter what your subject matter expertise is, managing people is still one of the hardest tasks anybody takes on, exacerbated by the complexities of the modern workplace. Talk to us about our developing your and your team’s natural talents, so they are ready to compete in the AI world of the 2020s.

Media and presentation skills for introverts – If presenting on stage or in the media is the last thing you want to do, but your job requires it, we can help. We recognise not everyone looks forward to delivering a conference keynote, or being interviewed for a written article or a television report. In fact, you might even have a phobia of it. But everyone has special talents, and our Gallup-certified CliftonStrengths coach Mark Laudi can help you draw on your talents to deliver a creditable presentation you can be proud of.

Do you have 2020 Foresight?

The 2020s. If you’re like me, you would have considered this decade to be too far off to contemplate. Long-term government planning reports talked about the 2020s. Authors set their science fiction novels in the 2020s. The 2020s were a mirage.

Yet here we are, just weeks away before we catch up with the future.

In this series I look at five key trends likely to shape the new decade.

1. Climate change and the switch to live video and webcasts – But will anyone pay attention
2. How to be the best human you can be in an AI world – You can't be anyone you want to be, but you can be the best of who you already are
3. Can you prove your CEO didn’t say this? – Deep fakes, guerrilla media, and the blurred lines between fake and real
4. The rise of Megadata – If you thought death by PowerPoint was bad now, just wait until you drink from the data hosepipe
5. New threats make crises inevitable – Drones, cyberattacks, climate change all make for the crises of the future

Talk to us about how to invest your remaining 2019 training budgets with 2020 foresight.