The rise of generative Ai is only one recent explosion in Ai – but most of the Ai advances in 2022 and 2023 touch directly upon matters of organisational functions, ethics, efficiency and even security – matters that greatly interest boards and executive leadership teams. The opportunities and dangers of integrating large language models such as chatGPT (from OpenAi) or Bard (from Google) into organisational workflows (such as customer facing chatbots) is now becoming readily apparent and some banks (such as Westpac) have already announced their intention to do so.^[1]

The dangers of such systems have been called out by researchers and practitioners who have worked for years to understand the limitations of language models that have limited human understanding (for example see: Marie Johnson’s substack). They also see concerns recently reiterated by Elon Musk and others who have called for an unlikely pause in the training of such systems (CNBC News Article).^[2,3]

Given the emergence of such systems as a new technology with potential to aid organisations but also to introduce new risks, the question arising for organisations is how to balance up these aspects and how to assess the risks versus benefits. One suggestion from the LinkedIn community to a post I put up on this topic, is to expand the Chief Data Officer role to encompass the remit of governance across AI and Algorithms. Or to encompass these aspects into the roles of Chief Risk Officers.^[4]

But does this expansion to a risk role provide enough focus? And do the risk officers or data officers have the skills and background to give appropriate advice? I wonder instead if a Senior Officer for Ai integration and risk management or Chief of Ai could act as a focal point that engages with current Ai usage and considers organisational and end-customer and shareholder value to including legal / ethical aspects. I decided to ask chatGPT4 to design up a suitable role for balancing risks and opportunities in Ai integration into organisations. ChatGPT4 suggested the role could encompass responsibilities for:

• Strategic Planning and Implementation of the integration of Ai into the company’s existing workflow and processes.
• Monitoring the progress of Ai integration and provide regular updates to the executive team and stakeholders.
• Identifying potential risks associated with Ai integration, including data privacy, security, and ethical concerns.
• Developing and implementing risk mitigation strategies to address potential vulnerabilities and minimise the impact on the organisation.
• Coordinating with legal, compliance, and IT departments to ensure that Ai integration aligns with company policies, industry regulations, and best practices.
• Analysing the organization’s needs and identify areas where Ai can be leveraged to improve efficiency, enhance decision-making, and drive innovation.
• Developing strategies to capitalise on the opportunities presented by Ai and maximise its benefits for the company.
• Developing and implementing training programs to ensure employees are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to utilise Ai effectively.
• Providing ongoing support to teams, addressing any challenges or concerns related to Ai integration.
• Establishing key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to evaluate the success of Ai integration and its impact on the organisation.
• Continuously monitoring performance, gather feedback, and make data-driven decisions to optimise the use of Ai within the company.
• Keeping abreast of advancements in AI technology, as well as relevant industry trends and best practices.
• Participating in industry events, conferences, and forums to expand knowledge and maintain expertise in the field of AI integration and risk management.

What do you think? Agree? Disagree? Think it’s all a fad? Would you apply for such a job. Would you advertise for such a job?

References

1. Eyers, J 2023, Banks look to adopt ChatGPT to help customers: Microsoft, online newspaper article, Available at: https://www.afr.com/companies/financial-services/banks-look-to-adopt-chatgpt-to-help-customers-microsoft-20230306-p5cpsq
2. Jonhson, M 2023, ChatGPT is NOT an Understanding Machine, Substack website blog, Available at: https://mariehjohnson.substack.com/p/chatgpt-is-not-an-understanding-machine?r=ynoa&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

3. Browne, R 2023, Elon Musk, who co-founded firm behind ChatGPT, warns A.I. is ‘one of the biggest risks’ to civilization, online newspaper article, Available at: https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/15/elon-musk-co-founder-of-chatgpt-creator-openai-warns-of-ai-society-risk.html

4. Cooper, P 2023, Is this the year for the emergence of a Chief of Ai role?, LinkedIn Post, Available at: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7036192737041293312/?commentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Acomment%3A%28activity%3A7036192737041293312%2C7036206926250053632%29