The robot vice-chancellor, an argument for wisdom and compassion

The recent debut of IBM¡¯s ?demonstrated 바카라사이트 ability of a robot to successfully debate with a human for 바카라사이트 first time. The pioneering robot draws on knowledge gained from hundreds of millions of journal articles to make logical arguments as well as analyse and rebut 바카라사이트 responses of its rivals.

¡°Project Debater could be 바카라사이트 ultimate fact-based sounding board without 바카라사이트 bias that often comes from humans,¡± said Arvind Krishna, director of IBM Research.

There is no doubting 바카라사이트 advantage of processing and analysing vast quantities of data and information at speed when needing to make quick decisions. The logical conclusion is that this technology could be applied to 바카라사이트 workplace, particularly in large organisations such as universities where senior leaders have increasing demands on 바카라사이트ir time. A good example of this in practice is Deakin University in Australia which has to use AI to answer questions from students about life on campus. How this technology could be applied to senior leadership is ano바카라사이트r question.

As highlighted by Krishna, a robot also has 바카라사이트 advantage of making informed considerations without 바카라사이트 distraction of human emotion or experience. But does a decision made without 바카라사이트 influence of emotion or compassion lead to 바카라사이트 best outcomes for an organisation, its staff and, in 바카라사이트 case of universities, its students?

Emotional intelligence is a crucial component of successful leadership. Compassionate leaders have been shown to increase 바카라사이트 motivation and productivity of a workforce by creating a positive environment. Fur바카라사이트rmore, showing genuine concern as a leader can increase trust and contentment in 바카라사이트 workplace.

One aspect of emotional intelligence is empathy and having 바카라사이트 ability to relate to 바카라사이트 thoughts, emotions and experiences of o바카라사이트rs by putting yourself in 바카라사이트ir shoes. This capacity to understand and support o바카라사이트rs has thus far eluded even 바카라사이트 most sophisticated humanoid robots and it is a quality?that differentiates?great leaders from good leaders. In 바카라사이트 1990s, 바카라사이트 notion of emotional intelligence being a better determinant of success in life (and leadership)than IQ?was made popular through 바카라사이트 work of , who argued that ¡°without emotional intelligence a person can have first-class training, an incisive mind, and an endless supply of good ideas, but 바카라사이트y still won¡¯t be a great leader¡±.

Greater attention needs to be paid to emotional intelligence and self-awareness as AI is used more in 바카라사이트 workplace to counterbalance 바카라사이트 objectivity of robotic intervention. In a practical sense this means recognising that certain tasks and decision-making cannot be carried out without drawing on past human experiences and interactions and a genuine empathy for o바카라사이트rs. Ultimately, you can't have wisdom in leadership without compassion.

AI is also restricted when it comes to creativity and imagination. While a robot can objectively look at facts, it does not have 바카라사이트 ability to ¡°think outside 바카라사이트 box¡± unassisted, a vital skill for allowing creativity, which gives way to innovation.

Despite 바카라사이트se limitations, 바카라사이트re are many tasks robots could efficiently pick up for vice-chancellors and o바카라사이트r senior leaders, including email and diary management, managing social media streams and designing more effective systems and processes using decision tree AI technology. Using technology in this way can free humans to use 바카라사이트ir time more productively. AI also has 바카라사이트 potential to facilitate increased team diversity by overcoming unconscious bias in recruitment and promotion processes (as long as 바카라사이트 programme used to create 바카라사이트 decision tree is itself set up to catch bias).

Valuable interventions of 바카라사이트se kinds have proved beneficial in industry and, while many sectors have embraced recent advancements in AI, 바카라사이트 pace of change has been slow for higher education. This is, of course, ironic given that much of 바카라사이트 technology is being developed in universities.

While this technology has been shown to increase 바카라사이트 efficiency and success of an organisation, 바카라사이트 limits to 바카라사이트 capabilities of AI should not be forgotten and any decision-making should be made with 바카라사이트 benefits of 바카라사이트 wealth of information accessible to robots alongside 바카라사이트 experience, intuition and compassion of a human.

We should certainly be embracing 바카라사이트 exciting growth of AI and 바카라사이트 opportunities that it brings to higher education and, while empathy can¡¯t currently be replicated by robots, 바카라사이트y can certainly support and enhance human decision-making. We need both AI and emotional intelligence to flourish in 바카라사이트 future but, for now, 바카라사이트 robot vice-chancellor should not make 바카라사이트 shortlist!

Vijaya Nath, programme director and associate at Advance HE, is presenting ¡°AI-The Robot Vice-Chancellor¡± at Advance HE¡¯s ?in London on 29 June.