How to get the most out of AI?

Four essential types of intelligence CTOs must understand to leverage AI effectively

Jonathan Costa, Director of AI & Sustainable Technologies at Tomorrow University, shares four types of intelligence that have nothing to do with coding or super complicated technology in this Beta News article.

Enterprises plan to spend roughly $35.5 million on IT modernization in 2024, with over a third going to AI to boost productivity. However, the rush to adopt AI comes with challenges. Sixty-four percent of IT leaders worry about the risks of implementing generative AI without understanding its effective and safe use. Despite 75 percent of organizations experimenting with generative AI, only 9 percent have adopted it widely. There's still vast potential to unlock.

To harness AI's full potential and supercharge operations, it boils down to intelligence—specifically, human intelligence. AI is only as effective as the people controlling it. CTOs need to build four types of intelligence, focusing on soft skills and human talent to manage AI responsibly. Let us dive in.

Emotional intelligence: navigating human emotions

Recognizing and regulating emotions

Jonathan points out that emotional intelligence, the ability to identify and manage one’s own emotions and those of others, is essential to mastering AI. Despite ongoing debates on when AI might outsmart humans, emotional intelligence remains a distinct human advantage. People like Elon Musk acknowledge this unique human trait.

Enhancing team dynamics

When it comes to organizations, recognizing and regulating emotions is vital. Effective use of emotional intelligence can lead to higher employee retention, better performance, increased optimism, and resilience. Jonathan recommends that CTOs focus on self-awareness and self-regulation, understanding their own strengths, limitations, and motivations, and managing impulses accordingly. Empathy, understanding another person’s experiences and emotions, is also crucial for effective leadership.

Social intelligence: mastering social situations

Building relationships and navigating social dynamics

Further, CTOs with social intelligence can adeptly sense how others feel and navigate social situations. This skill is not inherent but can be developed through experience and learning from social successes and failures. Social intelligence is key for smooth AI integration

Strategies for developing social intelligence

Relationship-building is core to social intelligence. Schemes like reverse mentoring can bridge gaps between organizational levels. Practicing active listening is crucial, especially when adopting AI, which can be unsettling for some employees worried about AI taking jobs. Active listening helps CTOs to understand concerns and provide necessary support and training.

Diverse intelligence: embracing team diversity

Ethical AI integration

However, incorporating AI comes with ethical considerations, particularly concerning its potential harms and biases. Diversity within teams promotes ethical behavior and innovation by drawing on a wide range of experiences and ideas. Companies committed to diversity are 39 percent more likely to outperform their peers. Jonathan recommends that CTOs work with HR and C-suite members to review and relax job requirements to attract a diverse candidate pool and diversify interview panels to eliminate unconscious bias.

Data intelligence: mastering data management

Addressing bias in decision-making

The most important factor is that AI is only as good as the data it processes. To combat biases inherent in human decision-making, CTOs need a thorough understanding of the data they collect, store, and use.

To promote a data-first culture, CTOs should foster a data-first culture within their organizations. Data intelligence involves hard skills like data collection, preparation, and analysis, but it also requires soft skills to manage ethical biases. This combination ensures meaningful insights and ethical business decisions.

Your takeaways from this article

With Gartner predicting that 80 percent of enterprises will adopt generative AI by 2026, the role of the CTO is more crucial than ever. CTOs must work with the C-suite to promote ethical, purposeful work. By focusing on emotional, social, diverse, and data intelligence, CTOs can maximize AI's potential while leading with empathy, innovating responsibly, and enhancing human potential.

About Dr. Jonathan Costa

Dr. Jonathan Costa is the Director of AI & Sustainable Technologies at Tomorrow University, and you can learn from him in our AI and tech-related courses. Read more about him in our recent blog post and connect with him on LinkedIn here.

Read the full article here.