Fortune March 18, 2024
When new technology arrives, we often hear how it will revolutionize work—but it doesn’t always live up to the hype. Why?
Remember when General Motors built a “factory of the future” designed to have robots doing just about everything? There was just one problem: The robots made mistakes, a lot. Buicks ended up with Cadillac bumpers. There were many painting errors. And production costs actually exceeded previous, people-led efforts. The system lacked humans, who could resolve issues quickly, think creatively, and problem-solve in real time.
Today, when business leaders imagine what this new era of AI might hold, be warned: For all the ways we can see AI driving our business forward—unlocking efficiency, driving order, creating space for creativity—it’s nothing...