The Impact of Generative AI on Productivity

Technology has progressed to the point where it can create elements that are as good as if they were created by an individual. Generative AI is an artificial intelligence system that generates text, images, or other media in response to external inputs. Artificial intelligence itself is a game-changing technology that has propelled the world of technology forward. Generative AI, on the other hand, is a more advanced version of it. As a result, Harvard Business School’s Karim Lakhani underlines the influence of generative AI on our productivity in this podcast episode on the HBR IdeaCast channel.

According to Karim, generative AI is nothing more than software created utilizing vast quantities of data that is then capable of anticipating the next element of a phrase, pixel of an image, section of a video, and a variety of other properties. Organizations involved in the development of such technologies have even gone so far as to use human input to train these computer models, a method known as reinforcement learning. Karim claims that while generative AI is capable of providing the right results almost every time, it is only based on statistics and not on intuition. When discussing whether technology can replace humans, Karim says that humans and machines working together provide the best results. According to Karim, generative AI has given humans a superpower as well as the extra responsibility of deciding when, where, and how to utilize it. While many people assume that such technology would harm those with poor abilities, Karim believes that the contrary is true. He advises that corporations pair people with poor productivity with machines. This enhances the likelihood of the particular individual becoming more productive while also building a balance between the skills. He claims that, while generative AI is one of the most effective tools for increasing productivity, entrusting it to individuals who are not trained enough to handle it may have negative consequences. However, he believes that it is not worthwhile to make forecasts with the limited knowledge we have because the technology is still fairly new and needs time to establish itself. 

One of the most valuable technologies nowadays is generative AI. The accompanying material illustrates how it may have an influence on individual productivity.