In today’s world, decision-makers in both government and business are under a lot of pressure to tackle big sustainability issues. AI, or Artificial Intelligence, promises to help by making it easier to handle large amounts of information, fill in data gaps, make better decisions faster, and automate time-consuming tasks. But despite these benefits, many people are still hesitant to rely on AI for making important decisions, even when AI has been shown to be more accurate than human judgment in some cases.
What Our Research Looked At
Our research, led by our CBISS member, Dr Ben Sebian, aimed to find out why decision-makers are wary of using AI, especially when it comes to sustainability. We used a mix of surveys and interviews to gather insights from people in government, businesses, and international organizations.
What We Found Out
- Need for Understanding and Trust: People don’t want to use AI tools they don’t understand. They need to know how these tools work to trust them.
- Involvement in Design: Decision-makers are more likely to use AI tools if they had a hand in creating them. Being part of the design process makes them more comfortable with the technology.
- Focus on Support Tasks: Many decision-makers prefer AI for automating less critical tasks, like gathering the right data. This frees up their time to focus on the more important aspects of their work.
- Direct Help with Decisions: There’s a strong interest in AI that can directly help make better decisions by providing relevant information and insights.
Working Together is Key
The study shows that to make real progress in sustainability, we need to involve various groups of people. A combined effort ensures that AI solutions are practical and accepted by everyone.
Using AI to help solve sustainability challenges is a big, complex task. But by building trust, involving decision-makers in the design process, and focusing AI on supportive tasks, we can make it easier for everyone to adopt this technology. Dr. Ben’s research sheds light on how we can overcome these hurdles and use AI to create a more sustainable future.
A Thought to Ponder:
As we move forward, the real question isn’t just about whether we can trust AI, but how we can shape and guide AI to become a reliable partner in our quest for sustainability. How do we balance the incredible potential of AI with our need for control and understanding? Can we afford to let go of some control to achieve greater good, or will our need for understanding and involvement always hold us back? The future of AI in sustainability depends not just on the technology itself, but on our willingness to adapt and collaborate with it.
