When it comes to decision-making, we often believe that human intelligence is better than artificial intelligence.
We’re confident in our ability to reason, empathize, and come up with new ideas.
This belief is based on the fact that we can think, understand emotions, and create, which makes us different from machines.
Throughout history, our thinking has helped us achieve great things.
However, we should be careful with this belief!
It can be a good thing, but it can also limit us because we have something called “mental models.”
What are “Mental Models”?
Mental models are like the frameworks in our minds that we build from things we know, experiences we’ve had, and what we believe.
They’re like the glasses we wear to see and understand the world.
Just as AI uses patterns to understand things, we use mental models to make sense of complicated stuff.
But, these mental models can be tricky.
On one hand, they help us feel like we know what’s going on.
They make complicated things easier to understand and help us predict what might happen next. They’re like a map that guides our choices based on what we’ve seen before.
They help us make a neat story of the world, even when it’s messy.
However, mental models also hold us back.
They make us stick to what we know and stop us from trying new things.
We end up doing the same things over and over and getting the same results.
This is called the “status quo bias.” It’s when we can’t change because our mental models won’t let us.
Let’s take a simple example to understand this.
When was the last time you did something completely new?
Changed your hairstyle?
Tried a new type of food? or wore clothes you never thought of wearing?
Let’s be honest (no worries, your secrets are safe with me): don’t you often choose familiar places, follow trends, and opt for predictable vacations?
I’m not here to judge, just to show that our thinking is influenced by what we call “mental models.”
These mental models are like filters in our minds, created from our experiences, beliefs, and interactions. They help us understand the world, just like AI uses patterns to process information.
Mental models are also our limitations. It’s keeping us from exploring new things and trying different approaches.
Now, here’s where AI comes into play.
AI is becoming more involved in our work, changing how we make decisions.
It can process a lot of data quickly and find patterns we might miss.
This takes away the boring parts of our job so we can focus on important things.
But there’s a catch – AI might also stop us from thinking in creative ways.
Before AI, we had to analyze data to figure things out. This was where we got creative ideas as we connected dots and came up with new insights.
AI now handles data analysis, which is great, but it limit our creative thinking.
We lose the space where we used to think creatively. This affect our involvement in strategic tasks.
As AI takes on more tasks, we’re at a crossroads.
On one hand, we’re free from routine work, giving us time for more important things.
On the other hand, we lost our creative space.
This makes it harder for us to think differently.
AI is skilled at showing us usual patterns, but it prevent us from finding new solutions.
Picture an organization Today
Where AI suggests strategies for product development.
These ideas are based on past data, customer preferences, and market trends. While these insights are helpful, they also stick to existing mental models.
This raises an important question:
Are we missing out on new ideas by sticking too closely to what AI suggests?
Think about a well-established car company.
They use data to design cars people like.
With AI’s help, they might only make small changes based on past preferences.
This will keep them from making truly innovative cars.
So, AI introduces a challenge. While it helps us, it limit our creative thinking.
But here’s the deal:
We can fix this by finding a balance between AI and our own creative thinking.
We need to think outside the box, even when AI doesn’t.
This means not always doing things the usual way.
This balance isn’t just an idea; it’s really important.
Companies that combine AI and creative thinking will be better.
They can use AI to help them think of new ideas and solutions.
It’s about knowing that AI can give answers, but we need to ask the right questions.
From me:
humans are smart, but we have limits.
Mental models help us understand the world, but they can also hold us back.
AI is changing how we work, which is a good thing, but it also stop us from thinking in new ways.
We need to work together with AI to find new and great ideas.
It’s not about AI taking over; it’s about using both AI and our strengths to do amazing things.
Until companies change their way of thinking, here’s an idea:
Let’s listen to our customers a lot.
They can help us think in new ways and make sure we’re doing the right thing.
Let’s keep getting customer feedback and use it to think creatively with AI.
This way, we’ll make sure we’re not just doing the same old stuff, but exploring new possibilities.
