Which is Better Suited for Consulting Firms: AI or IA?
You’ve probably heard a lot of chatter about artificial intelligence (AI), but probably not so much about intelligence augmentation (IA). Both concepts came into existence over 50 years ago and have been the topic of many debates over which is best. So, which is better suited for consulting firms?
Debate Over Which is Best
Some supporters of AI believe that more focus should be placed on creating autonomous systems that are capable of learning to perform human cognitive functions. AI often causes confusion because of its broad scope. People are often fearful that job opportunities will be taken away as robots or computers replace workers, which is a valid fear. Yes, AI will eliminate some jobs. And, of course, some are uneasy about getting too close to the technology because of the nefarious way its been portrayed in science fiction movies.
On the other side of the argument there are people who support IA because it can be used to enhance and support human-driven analysis, decision-making and planning. IA uses similar machine learning capabilities that are common to AI, but instead of deleting humans from the equation, this technology aims to assist, instead of replacing humans in performing their work.
Shortcomings of AI
While AI might be grabbing all the attention, IA could possibly soon reach its tipping point as the preferred choice. AI is capable of doing many tasks that involve massive amounts of data that the human brain is not capable of doing. Machine learning excels at sifting through data, discovering connections and identifying trends.
But what AI fails to do better than humans are tasks that involve emotional and social intelligence, complex problem-solving, and detecting nuances in language. AI doesn’t do well in situations where there is a lack of definition for inputs and goals, and this is where IA excelsbecause of the human element. IA tools assist humans in providing the information needed to make an informed decision.
IA is has become the focus of more attention lately. At Carnegie Mellon’s School of Computer Science, 98% of researchersare now focusing on work that leans more toward IA than strictly AI. IBM is also placing more focus on IA that will boost human capabilities.
Up to now, it has appeared that AI is the future, but it might be time to begin looking toward IA as a better way to use AI’s machine learning technology to maintain the human element with consulting firms.
