I have been using Artificial Intelligence (AI) for a couple of years now.  Lately.ai is AI that breaks down a blog or video into little chunks (my word, not theirs) and provides social media posts.  I won’t go into all the details here, but you should check them out.  Decision making for socials posts is much easier with Lately.ai. No doubt, AI hit us all over the last few months.  If it has not already, AI will most likely change the way you live and work.   Self-driving cars have been developed, healthcare is being personalized, and conversations are taking place with machines.   

Humans have a decisive advantage over Artificial Intelligence: Gut Decisions! #decisions #ai #humans #decisionmaking

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Much has been said and written about AI replacing jobs.  I asked ChatGPT if AI would eliminate jobs, and here is the answer received:

“ . . . AI can be used to automate tasks that are repetitive, predictable, and time-consuming, such as data entry, processing, and analysis. In some cases, this can lead to job displacement, particularly in industries that rely heavily on manual labor or routine tasks.

However, AI can also create new job opportunities in fields such as data science, machine learning, and AI development. Additionally, AI can be used to augment human capabilities, allowing workers to focus on higher-level tasks that require creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.”

ChatGPT March 14, 2023

Unfortunately, job displacement will result from AI’s development.  AI will be used in business to automate repetitive tasks, enhance customer experience, for predictive maintenance and to “improve” decision making.  This is undeniable.  Regarding this fourth point, AI is missing one key element in its endeavor to improve the decision-making process: “gut feeling.” 

What is a “Gut Decision”?

Gut decisions are made based on past experiences, including emotional and situational experiences.  In some cases, they can be considered irrational or illogical, particularly if not coupled with data or other factors.  But we all know that gut decisions are important and can be effective.  Just ask parents of teenagers!  Sometimes we just “get that feeling” that something is going on.  Data analysis is important, but sometimes incomplete.  “Gut” can help bridge the gap and drive decisions.   

NEWS FLASH:  Artificial Intelligence is not infallible!  (Neither are humans!)  AI can be used for insight and assistance with a variety of topics, including decision making.  Humans created AI and it is only as good as the data it is accessing.  But AI is missing ethical and moral experiences, both key elements in decision making. 

As a tool to improve decision making, I am excited about AI.  But I will not rely completely on AI to make decisions for me.  This is where “gut” comes into play and here are five reasons why AI will not eliminate “gut” decisions. 

Emotional Intelligence and Decision Making

Humans are emotional beings.  We use emotions to make decisions every day.  They are critical in our decision-making process.  Emotions influence our “gut.”   I am certain that AI can analyze large (and small for that matter) amounts of data.  This will allow AI to make predictions based on that data, but AI lacks the emotional intelligence to replicate the human element.  We humans can pull emotional factors into the decision-making process, and AI cannot (YET?)

Human Creativity

“Thinking outside the box” is an ability possessed by humans that AI is incapable of at this point (at least from what I have seen).  We can see things and connect the dots that AI cannot, allowing us to manifest new ideas.  This creative element is vital in our “gut” decision-making process, and again, AI is yet to be able to replicate human creativity. Afterall, creativity is in the eye of the beholder.  Without emotions or the ability to see the bigger picture, AI lacks the creativity that humans desire. 

Complex Decision Making

It has already been identified that AI can make predictions based on large amounts of data.  But AI cannot see and feel the complexities of a situation.    Many times, our “gut” drives us to a decision.  Admittedly, the decision may end up being a bad one, but the “gut” factor is important.  In many cases, various factors need to be weighed against each other, and this appears to be a struggle for AI.

Ethics and Morality

A sense of right and wrong is generally important in human decisions.  AI does not have the AI systems ability to make ethical and moral decisions.   While it may be different than others that you associate with, your moral compass drives most of your decisions.  Moral and ethics are something we are taught and apply daily.  It appears that AI can be programmed to follow certain guidelines (both moral and ethical), but it cannot account for all the nuances of a particular situation, which includes history and future goals.

Intuition and Decision Making

Intuition is “the power or faculty of attaining to direct knowledge or cognition without evident rational thought and inference.” Further explained, our intuition is not yet fully understood.  This is the essence of “gut” feeling.  Past experiences, past lessons, interactions with others, something seen in passing, and so many other things help us develop intuition. All these experiences, combined with situational analyses and future goals, combine to create intuition.  AI cannot replicate intuition, because it has not experienced what we have experienced.   

Humans have a decisive advantage over Artificial Intelligence: Gut Decisions! #decisions #ai #humans #decisionmaking

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Conclusion

I am as big of a fan of AI as anyone, trust me.  In fact, AI (Thank You ChatGPT!) helped me create this blog post.  Even so, AI is not on track to eliminate gut decisions from humans any time soon. 

Emotional intelligence, creativity, complex decision making, ethics and morality, and intuition are all aspects of decision making that humans excel at, and that AI is currently unable to replicate. To me, the key word here is “balance.”  That is, striking a balance between the tools available to help us decide, of which “gut” is one of the most important.