Yesterday, I had a fascinating conversation with some friends, each with diverse professional backgrounds. One works in startups, another in marketing, and our discussion revolved around the impact of AI on our world. We explored both its advantages and drawbacks, but our common thread was leadership and its evolution in an AI-centric world.
There are genuine concerns about AI’s potential to replace the authentic human touch, especially in roles traditionally reliant on interpersonal connections, like coaching or medical care. Imagine a world where AI coaches or doctors are mainstream. The fear is that this might dilute the essence of human connection.
However, our collective perspective was optimistic. We believe that AI can enhance the quality of human interactions, not replace them. Consider visiting a doctor: the usual routine involves filling out forms, waiting, and then hurriedly discussing symptoms with the doctor. But imagine a streamlined process where an AI system already possesses most of your information. By the time you sit with the doctor, they can focus entirely on you, applying their years of experience and the ‘human touch’ to give you the best care. This human-AI collaboration could lead to more accurate diagnoses and treatment plans.
AI Personal Assistant
In my role as a principal, I’ve experienced firsthand how administrative tasks can be time-consuming. Paperwork, especially, can detract from the human interactions of my job. I have found multiple ways to use AI as a personal assistant to reduce my hours each week. For example, I have set up a personal AI bot that has access to all my school’s policies. I can now ask it to draft me a letter for parents talking about the school’s policy on classroom closure. The AI then uses the data from the policies and drafts a letter for parents explaining the school process and procedures for closing a classroom. I then just have to tweak and proofread the letter.
AI Cleaning Up Data
I have found AI to be exceptional at data and formatting cleanup. For instance, at school, I had a list of events with dates and times written by various staff members. The formatting was inconsistent, and cleaning it up manually would have been time-consuming. By using Claude AI, I was able to standardize the data in about 30 seconds—a task that could have taken hours manually. It’s a significant time-saver.
While AI can handle the repetitive, mundane tasks, it cannot replace the core tenets of leadership: empathy, intuition, and the ability to inspire. As leaders, we need to harness the potential of AI to create more time for us to do the things we like.
