It’s like when you’re looking for a car: you choose a bigger one if it’s a family car, a sportier one if you like action, or a more traditional one for everyday life. Or when you select a fibre plan, a streaming platform or the perfect mobile phone. Depending on our needs and priorities, we each choose the solution that best covers all the variables on the table. For each of these decisions, you consider different variables: functionalities, benefits, cost-benefit ratio, among others. Similarly, when you consider implementing an ai solution, it is crucial to evaluate which type of AI is the most suitable for your specific needs.
The different applications and roles of AI
AI is not a one-size-fits-all solution; it has different roles and applications, depending on what you need. Just as when buying a car or selecting a service plan, it is vital to identify the features that best align with your objectives. For example, if you prefer a solution that allows you to free up time for routine tasks, you might opt for an AI that takes on a more responsible role. On the other hand, if you are looking for strategic decision-making support, an AI that acts as an advisor might be more appropriate. Understanding these distinctions will allow you to maximise the benefits of AI in your organisation.
There are many classifications of AI, and here I will focus on its classification by role. Depending on the percentage of responsibility you assign, the AI will have a different role, and there are up to four different types of roles. Even when there is a role with 100% responsibility, this is possible because, as the good bosses that we are, we can ‘delegate’ especially very repetitive tasks where our contribution is minimal and that is why we delegate them to the AI. Below, I show you the 4 AI roles:
The 4 AI Roles
Boss (maximum responsibility)
In this role, the AI makes all decisions and takes full responsibility for actions and outcomes. It acts autonomously, without the need for human supervision. This level of responsibility is ideal for repetitive and predictable tasks, where the AI can operate efficiently and accurately without human intervention. This frees you from tasks that do not require your expertise, allowing you to concentrate on what really matters.
In this role, AI makes all decisions and takes full responsibility for actions and outcomes. It acts autonomously, without the need for human supervision, because a human has previously validated that its intervention did not add significant value to the process and can 100% automate these tasks. This level of responsibility is ideal for repetitive and predictable tasks, where AI can operate efficiently and accurately without human intervention. This frees you from tasks that do not require your expertise, allowing you to concentrate on what really matters.
Advisor or coach (75% responsibility)
AI provides recommendations and advice based on data and analytics, but the final decisions rest with humans. This role is perfect for leaders who need expert guidance, providing a wealth of processed information to help make informed and strategic decisions. It’s like having a mentor or personal advisor guiding you with the best information available.
Partner (50% responsibility)
AI and humans share responsibility equally, collaborating in decision making. The AI collaborates by offering suggestions and analysis, but the final decisions are made by humans. This role is suitable for tasks that require the combination of human intuition and AI data analysis for better results. When we have a doubt, what we usually do is consult a friend. The idea is that AI takes on this consultative role and acts as a ‘virtual friend’ that helps us get a different perspective, helping us to see things from various points of view. In this way, AI becomes a valuable tool for making better decisions.
AI and humans share responsibility equally, collaborating in decision making. AI collaborates by offering suggestions and analysis, but decisions are made jointly. This role is suitable for tasks that require the combination of human intuition and AI data analysis to get better results. When we have a doubt what we usually do is consult a friend, the idea is that AI takes that role and acts as that friend to help us get a different perspective, helping us to see things from various points of view.
Assistant (25% responsibility)
The AI acts as a support, providing information and analysis under human supervision. Most of the responsibility lies with humans, who make the final decisions. This role is ideal for improving efficiency in specific tasks, such as planning a trip, where AI can help with bookings and recommendations based on the details you provide. It helps you manage the details, allowing you to focus on the most important decisions.
Conclusion
In order to properly choose the role of AI, it is essential to be clear about the need you want to address. Sometimes we know we can improve something, but we need to take the time to identify the root problem.
It’s like when we get a headache: do we take a pill to solve it or do we analyse the situation and see that the pain is due to having skipped a meal? The real solution would be to eat, wouldn’t it? In the same way, it is crucial to have a good understanding of our needs in order to apply the most appropriate solution. In the case of AI, this means being very clear about what we want to achieve and what data we have available.
Understanding the role AI plays is crucial to leverage it according to our needs. Each role-boss, advisor, colleague or assistant-offers different levels of responsibility and support. Knowing how to choose the right role allows us to use AI more effectively and avoid inefficient solutions. We don’t always need a hammer for every problem; selecting the right tool ensures better results and optimises both the process and the available resources. In this way, we achieve a smarter and more beneficial integration of AI into our strategies.
