The future of AI applications

Last November, OpenAI, a Silicon Valley startup launched ChatGPT, a highly articulate question-and-answer service that early estimates suggest may have already surpassed the 100m-user mark. In February, IBM CEO Arvind Krishna suggested that AI technology will very soon do away with many clerical white-collar jobs, most noticeably in customer service and HR. Then in March, Microsoft announced the launch of a suite of AI "co-pilots" for workers in various roles, including sales, marketing and supply chain management.

AI-generated imagery is another new player knocking at the doors of graphic design agencies (and their clients) with powerful skills and speed. The brain image on this page, which we commissioned for this event, is AI-generated.

The integration of AI into business processes is not new, but recent advances in machine learning and natural language processing are enabling unprecedented levels of automation and decision-making. While the potential benefits of AI are clear – increased efficiency, cost savings, and enhanced customer experiences – the rapid pace of technological change also brings concerns around data privacy, algorithmic bias, and job displacement. Therefore, it is imperative that companies carefully consider the security and ethical implications of AI adoption as it becomes ubiquitous in the workplace.

As a business leader, are you and your top directives well-informed on the new possibilities presented by this high-speed transformation? How can you assess the challenges of risks of failing to implement – or indeed implement too quickly or too broadly – some of these tools? Are the dreaded risks for the workforce justified – or indeed, should managers be working toward reskilling and making the best out of AI applications?