Balancing human insight and artificial intelligence

By Mitch Henderson | July 24, 2023

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Balancing Human Insight And Artificial Intelligence — Balancing human insight and artificial intelligence.

Abstract

As generative AI continues to be implemented in business practices and decision-making process it is important to combine it with human insight. This article covers the importance to balancing human intelligence and artificial intelligence to make the best decisions possible.

Research Topics:: Artificial Intelligence / AI | Bus.-To-Bus. Research | Data Analysis | Innovation | Psychological/Emotion Research | Software-Data Analysis
Industry/Market Focus:: Business-To-Business | High-Tech | Research Industry
Content Type: Research Industry Voices

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Maintaining a balance

Editor’s note: Mitch Henderson is the co-CEO of Clear Seas Research. This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared under the title “Balancing AI and Human Insight: The Key to Effective Decision-Making in B2B Market Research.”

Dozens, if not hundreds, of marketing research teams across the globe have now adopted some technology-aided survey design, open-ended verbatim interpretation or insights generation service using ChatGPT or other AI technology. AI, like every other tool that has come along, is merely that – a tool.

Simply put, AI technology is a potent device capable of processing complex data sets in record time and can make sense of patterns that might evade human interpretation. It is primed to change the market research industry and represents exciting opportunities for teams across the globe. However impressive its capabilities may be, it would be unwise to discount the importance of integrating human input into decision-making processes.

Leveraging the human aspect in the decision-making process

Contextual understanding

AI can quickly generate insights from vast data sets, but it needs help understanding the context and specific nuances that humans can. That's where market research analysts come in – their expertise helps them grasp more important details outside what appears on the surface.

Creativity and innovation

While machines can provide evidence-based viewpoints and recommendations based on data analysis alone – they need more creativity and innovation when solving complex problems. Human analysts bring a different perspective – including divergent thinking that AI models traditionally struggle to recreate. Humans can also piece together disparate pieces of seemingly unrelated information to create unique solutions to the challenges presented by the data.

Ethical considerations

Ethical considerations are critical when making decisions based on data analysis. When incorporating artificial intelligence systems into decision-making processes, we should consider ethical guidelines while striving for optimal outcomes regarding efficiency, consistency and productivity gains. AI needs more judgment over such issues; human reviewers must ensure that any action based on intelligence does not infringe on moral or legal standards.

Error detection and correction

Due to the inherent limitations of these systems, humans need proper oversight to identify errors or biases arising during training/interpretation stages and the implementation of automated decisions.

Emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence is another area requiring human intervention, which machine learning models cannot fully achieve. Interpreting complex emotions and deep insights generated from data analysis still requires human intuition and empathy.

Strategic decision-making

Strategic decisions necessitate a nuanced understanding of the larger context, including the competitive landscape and potential impact on different stakeholders. While AI can provide recommendations based on data analysis, it cannot substitute for human judgment based on experience.

While AI is vital in decision-making processes that generate insights from data, humans are crucial for ensuring accuracy and ethical considerations are incorporated into the final decision-making process. By harnessing the strengths of AI and human intellect, B2B market researchers can unlock market insights that are both significant and practical. As your market research team begins to onboard a Chat-GPT solution, be mindful of using human oversight to ensure insights are powerful yet not destructive.