Why AI means creativity is needed now more than ever
Over the last 24 months, if not longer, the topic of artificial intelligence (AI) has become a growing trend in the forecast growth of technology. The everyday person is now becoming more and more aware that the power of software in our everyday lives. From the role of Software as a Service (Saas) platforms in business becoming everyday brands (think Salesforce, Mailchimp and even arguably Google Drive) to in-home user integrations such as the increasing use of Siri in our iPhones.
Those working closely with technology watch, in equal amounts of excitement and anxiety, the almost monthly advances in AI from the likes of IBM’s Watson competing with - and beating - humans at Jeopardy. We even recently saw Google’s AlphaGo AI beating the leading champions at the game Go, which was reporting to have been a decade earlier than the forecast learning would arrive.
Those in the know understand that it is the cleverly planned and sophisticatedly built algorithms that sit behind which drive these Lamborghinis of robotic learning.
And the change will only feel quicker
The ever increasing river of these powerhouse computing systems are fundamentally changing industries and even now are significantly automating a range of costly day-to-day tasks. However AI is still not perfect and there are still some challenges to overcome. These software brains are only as good as the data we feed them or let them access (but who draws that line?) and anybody with an education opinion will be happy to tell you about the potential dangers on the horizon. Remember The Matrix anyone? But don't think you can ride this out or bury your head in the sand, the level of investment is only going up!
So why do we need to think about creativity?
What do we have that computers don't? A human brain. Some may call that a disadvantage but others remember that it was humans who worked out how the universe, as we know it, works today including building Artificial Intelligence. We have independent thought, the ability to ask questions (even if we know there is no answer) that drives inquiry and learning.
Here are Skopen we believe it is this hand-in-hand power of the power of process from AI plus the power of creativity and innovation from humans that will lead us into the next frontier of commerce. And you don't have to wait for AI to become everyday before getting your team, department or organisation to start becoming more creative.
It's time now to learn from recent history...remember Nokia anyone?
Now I am sure you all remember Nokia. In 2008 Brand Finance considered Nokie the 9th largest brand in the world with a brand value of €22.5bn. Nearly a decade on and it is worth and is worth just €3.2bn - that is a decrease of just over 85%. That is a decrease of over 10% every year since its peak.
In Skopen's opinion this is because what made Nokia great, its application of creativity to its operating model became lost and it drove its competitors to think outside the product and operations box to become bigger and better. Nokia didn't think the iPhone was a threat? Now look at how iPhone and Samsung dominate the market. When Nokia stopped thinking about how to beat the market because it already owned the market, the elements of what made it creative and innovative became lost. Maintaining the status quo became important and since when has that ever worked out well?
So if you are thinking about whether you need to address creativity in your organisation maybe you should think about what the power of creativity could do and what are the risks if you don't?
Contact Skopen here on how we can measure and improve creativity for your business.
