Artificial Intelligence (AI) unfolds across various industries. While AI’s capabilities are undeniable, I believe it’s crucial to recognise both its potential and its limitations. I like to share my thoughts on how AI may end up affecting the field of grants, the legal system, and the overall dynamics of communication and job displacement.

AI and Grant Assessments

Grants are an integral part of any organisation, and AI has made its presence felt in this area too. While the actual writing of grants may not yet be profoundly impacted, the assessment of grants is increasingly likely to be affected by AI. The same way AI is used in diagnosing medical conditions, it can become a method of diagnosing assessment in grants.

However, preparing a grant requires careful planning, detailing, and understanding of your organisation’s vision, culture, and individual metrics. AI can assist in some parts, like generating a general framework for analysing the required factors. However, there’s a caveat.

AI, in its current generalised form, may produce a fantastic general grant application but might lack the unique vision, culture, and individuality of your organisation. It might not reflect the nuances that a grant expert, fully immersed in the preparation, could bring to the table.

AI’s Impact on Legal Sector

The legal sector has always been driven by precedent and legislation, written material, something that AI can handle efficiently. The facts of a dispute can be interpreted by AI and using the vast repository of prior decisions can make a determination of what the outcome should be. This differs from grants for instance in that, the law should not allow subtle emotional or societal issues to affect the assessment of the facts, only the resolution after a matter is decided.

This should ease the workload on the court system and lead to better outcomes, outcomes not decided by the oratory or learning of an advocate but based on the legislation, previous decisions, and facts of a matter.

Lawyers, I believe, will also be under threat for many of their current tasks of advice and document preparation. It is suggested that the bulk of contract writing could be automated, creating a more efficient process. But does this efficiency come at the cost of human creativity and judgment? Is it necessary for all legal matters or only some.? It is hard to see AI being able to successfully navigate through a child custody case. This comes down to the question of when does AI transcend human decision-making and how do we know when we have reached that point.

AI and Communication Dynamics

The advent of the Internet was supposed to improve communication universally. In reality, it created islands of communication, limiting the diversity of what people see and hear. AI has the potential to do the same, restricting choices instead of expanding opportunities. Will it become a case of “ Choose the AI engine that suits your own belief system” or will there be a universally accepted neutral engine that arbitrates equally and without bias?

Jobs will inevitably change or disappear with AI’s growth. However, like the industrial revolution, AI might not eliminate roles but rather transform them. While some professions may need to adapt to new paradigms, human review, and interaction will still be vital.

 We have seen the world still has low employment across the developed world, even after the enormous impact of the industrial revolution, robotics, computing, and internet connectivity, but are all jobs meaningful? Does “Chief Impact Officer” actually achieve a personal or society advancement or just mark time?

In the future…

AI is indeed revolutionising many aspects of our lives and work, but it’s essential to understand its limitations. Whether in grant assessments, legal matters, or job displacement, AI is not a one-size-fits-all solution.

It’s more than a tool; it’s a dynamic force that requires careful management and understanding. As we embrace AI, let’s do so with an eye to the broader societal implications, ensuring that we harness its potential without losing the very human qualities that make our organisations and systems rich and meaningful.