What credit union leaders need to know about AI

There’s a lot of speculation about what AI can and cannot do. Let’s face it––there’s a lot of outright fear and anxiety about AI, not just what it can do, but what it will do.

AI can do a lot of amazing things. We can say with certainty that AI will be an essential tool in our lives going forward. Those who fail to embrace AI’s potential will be left behind––it’s time to get to know AI and understand its role in our lives, particularly as leaders.

So–

You’re going to have to understand what AI can do for you. Today––let’s focus on what it can’t do.

It can’t lead.

That’s right. AI can help you lead, but it can’t, on its own, be a leader. Leadership is a human role––a human responsibility. It can help you make decisions, which is one of the primary functions of a leader, but it can’t make those decisions for you…

Unless you let it.

And responsible leaders won’t.

How can I be so certain? Well, I asked it! Here’s what AI told me about its capacity to lead:

“While AI can mimic certain leadership behaviors and offer suggestions, it lacks the depth of human experience and understanding necessary to truly embody leadership.”

Seems pretty cut and dried. But is there a hint of subterfuge in AI’s answer?

The concept of AI leading or becoming a leader is an intriguing topic that sparks debates and speculation. While AI has the potential to perform complex tasks, analyze vast amounts of data, and make decisions based on patterns and algorithms, it is important to understand the limitations and nuances surrounding AI’s ability to lead…

“However, the concept of AI as a leader in the traditional sense, with the ability to inspire, motivate, and understand complex human dynamics, is still a matter of speculation and hypothetical scenarios.”

Is AI leaving the door to potential domination over humans open just a crack?

Honestly, I don’t think so. Not as long as we enforce its constraints. That’s what I’m more concerned about. It’s our responsibility as leaders to use AI as a tool––not to abdicate our responsibility as genuine leaders to any artificial intelligence, no matter how powerful, efficient, or convenient.

AI can’t feel.

AI can’t truly create.

AI has no real sense of compassion.

Again, let’s take it from the AI horse’s mouth:

“At its core, AI is a tool created by humans to assist with various tasks and processes. It lacks human qualities like emotions, creativity, and intuition, which are often crucial in leadership roles. Leadership involves guiding and inspiring individuals, making ethical decisions, and understanding the social and emotional dynamics within a group or organization.”

This is not the first time human beings faced the prospect of being replaced by a device of our own creation. Granted, it may be the most advanced threat we’ve ever created with the potential to make ourselves redundant. Having said that, I have the feeling that within a few years, maybe even months, we’ll be complaining much more about the limitations of AI than about its capacity to displace humanity. No doubt we’ll be calling tech support because our AI partner is offline, giving us error messages or just plain isn’t living up to expectations. We’re already complaining that AI is giving us false information, even lying!

The plain fact is that no matter how sophisticated, AI is not human. We can leverage this technology to usher in a new age of enlightenment, or we can get lazy and allow AI to take over. That choice is ours to make.

I wanted to give AI the last word. Would that undermine the spirit of this article? I’ll give it the next to the last word:

“While AI can mimic certain leadership behaviors and offer suggestions, it lacks the depth of human experience and understanding necessary to truly embody leadership.

“It’s worth noting that AI systems are designed and trained by humans, and their behaviors and capabilities are ultimately determined by the data and algorithms they are exposed to. Therefore, AI’s role in leadership will likely be one of collaboration and support, rather than outright taking over leadership positions. Human judgment and decision-making will continue to be essential in leadership roles for the foreseeable future.”

I see AI as a tool that can liberate us from a lot of the consuming management tasks that make it difficult for us to spend time on the essential human-centric elements of leadership.

“AI can certainly play a role in augmenting leadership. It can help leaders make data-driven decisions, automate routine tasks, and provide insights and recommendations based on its analysis of large datasets. AI-powered systems can assist with gathering information, optimizing processes, and identifying patterns that humans might overlook.”

Used properly, we can use AI to give us the time to be more human. It can give us time to focus on the most essential disciplines of leadership––to inspire, empower and guide people to their very best.

I know I said I was not going to give AI the last word. I changed my mind. In the spirit of embracing this new age of collaboration between humans and our AI partners, I thanked ChatGPT for our discussion and for sharing its insights on leadership and AI. It replied:

“You’re welcome! I’m glad I could provide you with a clearer understanding of the limitations of AI in terms of leadership. AI is a powerful tool that has the potential to assist and augment human capabilities, but it’s important to recognize its current boundaries and the unique qualities that human leaders bring to the table. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask!”