Artificial intelligence (AI) does not scare leaders.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) does not scare executives
August 22, 2023 – Currently, there still exists a significant discrepancy between executives' openness to AI solutions on the one hand and their real application in day-to-day business and management on the other hand.
Since the company OpenAI opened its ChatGPT program for general free use at the end of 2022, a true hype has emerged around the topic of artificial intelligence (AI) – not only on the stock market but also in the media. It has been portrayed in the most vivid colors,
• what opportunities AI offers companies, for example, to redesign and optimize their business processes, and
• what dangers arise from increased AI usage – for certain professions or employees who hold specific functions within companies.
Executives do not feel threatened by AI systems
Apparently, executives in companies are dealing with the topic of artificial intelligence very calmly. At least, this is suggested by the current Leadership Trend Barometer of the Institute for Leadership Culture in the Digital Age (IFIDZ) Wiesbaden. A total of 158 executives participated in this online survey. They were asked to what extent the role and responsibilities of executives are changing due to the increased use of AI from their perspective.
Executives consider AI systems to be helpful tools
The survey found that only two percent of respondents are convinced that AI tools or systems can replace human executives in the medium to long term. Thus, they see no threat to their function. Rather, the majority of them (93 percent) are convinced that artificial intelligence (AI) can support them in their leadership work. For example, 56 percent of respondents expect that AI systems can relieve executives of "boring, repetitive tasks." Moreover, about half of the executives (51 percent) believe that AI can help them and their employees make decision processes "more efficient" and make "better decisions.
AI systems should be used "as a matter of course"
Therefore, 57 percent of executives advocate for greater openness within their organization toward the use of AI in leadership – for problem-solving and achieving goals. Additionally, they wish that the existing fears and reservations regarding AI are reduced so that it can be "used and utilized as a matter of course."
Two-thirds of executives (66 percent) believe that "AI can no longer be imagined out of our lives." Consequently, only three percent are convinced that the current AI debate is merely "a hype" that will soon subside.
Only a few executives already use AI systems
In this context, it is striking that, according to their own statements, currently only 12 percent of executives already use AI tools for their leadership tasks as well as to enhance their personal performance and that of their area.
This means that there currently exists a significant discrepancy between the openness to and acceptance of AI systems by executives on the one hand and their application in operational and leadership everyday life on the other hand. According to them, this "gap" needs to be closed so that companies can optimally utilize the opportunities that AI offers for optimizing their business processes as well as for tapping into new fields of business. More information about the current Leadership Trend Barometer on the topic of "AI and Leadership" can be found here.
Lecture on the topic "AI & Leadership"
If you want to raise awareness among your executives on this topic, then a lecture by IFIDZ founder and director Barbara Liebermeister on the topic of "AI and Leadership" may be of interest to you.
Author: Barbara Liebermeister
About the Author:
Barbara Liebermeister is the founder and director of the Institute for Leadership Culture in the Digital Age (IFIDZ) – and a thought leader when it comes to modern leadership. With the concept she developed, Alpha Intelligence®, she summarizes the crucial intelligences of successful leaders in the digital transformation: human, effective, and future-proof.
As a long-time manager, consultant, and coach, she brings practical experience and accompanies companies in rethinking their leadership culture – scientifically based, individually, and with a clear focus on what really works. Whether as an author of several professional books, a speaker on stages, or a lecturer at renowned universities such as RWTH Aachen and Kempten University, Barbara combines well-founded knowledge with a great deal of personality.
She is a mentor at universities in Hesse, nominated for the #digitalfemaleleader Award, and received the Wolfgang Heilmann Award with her team for the digital leadership analysis tool LEADT. Her motivation: to make leadership more human and at the same time more future-proof.
About the author Barbara Liebermeister
Barbara Liebermeister is the founder and director of IFIDZ – Institute for Leadership Culture in the Digital Age. As a management consultant, coach, and speaker, she combines business experience with scientific depth and has coined the term Alpha Intelligence®, a concept that captures the essential skills of modern leaders.
With many years of experience in leadership positions and as a coach for top decision-makers, she has been supporting companies of all sizes on their way to contemporary leadership for over two decades – practical, strategic, and effective. Insights from her work have contributed to several books on the topics of self-leadership, networking, and leadership in the digital world.
Barbara Liebermeister is a lecturer at RWTH Aachen, Kempten University, and others, and also serves as a mentor at universities in Hesse. She studied business administration, holds a master's degree in neuroscience, and has completed training as a business, management, and sports mental coach.
Outstanding work: For her pioneering efforts, she was nominated for the #digitalfemaleleader Award in 2017. In 2018, the analysis tool LEADT developed by her institute, which measures digital leadership maturity, was awarded the prestigious Wolfgang Heilmann Prize at Learntec.
