The power of doubt

Module 4 of the Oxford Dip AI.

Being at Oxford fills me with wonder and a nagging sense of imposter syndrome. Apparently this is not unusual.

(My commentary on module 1, 2 and 3 )

Module 4 of the AI Diploma focuses on leadership in the age of AI

The module intro states.

Ultimately, the success of any AI system will be affected not by technology but by the ways leaders introduce and harness it. Under a state of technological disruption and in the "Age of AI", leaders are faced with new challenges and must make use of different skillsets. This module is designed to develop the skills necessary to be a successful leader in the age of AI.

It is all about messiness of actually getting stuff done in organizations. It’s ably led by Prof Michael Smets. Michael managed a room of 70 senior folks with precision, a sprinkle of discipline and gentle wit. His work focuses on leadership, primarily of professional services firms. He understands the nuances of the many facets of leadership, and he conveys it with clarity. His power of doubt framework will have a place in my quiver of models. Check this out.

Whereas the previous module was a curate’s egg, SBS really stepped up on this module. For people actually running AI projects in large enterprises, it knocked it out the park. It also reminded me why I don’t want to work for a large organization anymore.

The guest lecturers were excellent. James Dancer’s reflections on the state of AI partnerships were spot on, and very relevant for our fund. Rachel Botsman’s talk on truth was top notch.

She made it really relevant for the AI context. For AI to be genuinely successful in organizations, it will need to gain our trust. It turns out that trust is complicated. Do check out her talks on TED etc.

Jonathan Trevor covered strategic alignment, which had echoes of earlier work we had done on strategy.

Alignment is one of the words that I used to use a lot in the corporate context. Most large enterprises suffer from some sort of misalignment.

The debate in the Oxford Town Hall was a lot of fun. I have so much respect for people who take this on when English is their 2nd or 3rd language.

I was nervous even though I’ve done it before. We had a lovely formal dinner at the Randolph Hotel too. And I can now tie a bow tie in less than 15 minutes. Here I am with Felipe Thomaz, who leads the AI diploma.

The academic highlight for me was the AI ethics talk from John Tasioulas from the Philosophy department. John didn’t have any slides, but held the room spellbound. Many years ago I studied political philosophy, so it transported me back to my undergrad days. I wish more tech leaders would pause and think about the implications of what we are building. Looking at AI through the lens of Aristotle is timeless and powerful. I think Thomas Hobbes is probably even more useful, but I may explore that another day.

The diploma has encouraged the habit of reading widely and deeply about AI, I expect this will continue.

The cohort is a remarkable group. Folks from all over the world, some running massive projects, others leading professional services organizations, sales at software companies, trading complex commodities, or leading defence research. We all share one thing: a deep sense of curiosity.

The longer term acid test of the diploma as a financial investment will be whether it makes me a smarter investor, but I’ve learnt so much from the cohort, and I like to think I’ve made some friendships that will last far beyond the next AI winter, whenever that may come.

I’ll now need to ponder my final assignment. It will relate closely to our fund thesis on AI and the Future of Work. Assuming I don’t completely mess that up, I’ll be back at Oxford for graduation in June.

My thanks to Hillary for the excellent organization.

Thanks again to Jason for holding the fort while I was away.

I’d forgotten to add a song. Here’s one from an Oxford band. The Foals. It is goodie.