The Art Of Balancing Two Forces: AI And Human Nature

Exploiting the power of new technologies and new capabilities often demands that we deny something equally forceful--human nature. Our natural approach to problem-solving is additive: stir in more data, layer in more sophisticated modeling, think through solving the problem for every contingency. It's our tendency to puzzle out what we think is missing, solve every edge case, add those pieces and give ourselves a pat on the back. While that's the first instinct, it's not necessarily the best course to follow when leveraging AI to solve business problems. A recent Washington Post article, based on research published in the scientific journal Nature, explores this phenomenon and demystifies why humans are wired to add complexity, even when doing so runs counter to our best interests, our goals and aspirations.