Navigating conflicting opinions on AI with a co-founder
My co-founder and I seem to have conflicting opinions on AI. While we both share ethical concerns, I am interested in evaluating new tools while my co-founder is not. My stance is that if a tool both saves us time and provides a better experience for our client, it should be considered.
My co-founder, on the other hand, isn't willing to consider any tools. To me, this feels close-minded. I think it's important for us to stay on top of technological developments and use them where it makes sense for us. Of course, while remaining critical of the very real ethical concerns that AI introduces.
Has anyone else been navigating this?
Would it be possible to implement AI in a small, low-risk way (AI-powered tools or automate some on your processes with AI) so you both can evaluate its usefulness in practice? This could help you both gather useful insights to make informed decisions about future integrations.
Also, If your co-founder is that skeptical about AI, it might be worth seeking advice from an external expert. Perhaps search your respective networks for colleagues with unbiased viewpoints on AI to give you a balanced perspective on the benefits and risks for your specific use cases. Sometimes hearing it from someone else can make a big difference and help your co-founder see the potential value of AI in a different light.
Unfortunately this post was spurred by an interaction we had when I tried to introduce a tool that fits perfectly into a very small but tedious part of our process. My co-founder told me that they won't stop me from using it, but they won't use it themselves. As AI has exploded they seem to have adopted being anti-AI as part of their identity.
However, your suggestion to get external input here is really helpful. It would give us the opportunity to have a conversation that doesn't hinge on on personal opinions. Thankfully, we have a great practice of navigating conflict so I think we'll be able to have a calm and collected conversation about our view points.
I appreciate your input!