Seamus Phan

When the "Godfather of AI," Prof. Geoffrey Hinton said, "The brain sure as hell doesn't work by somebody programming in rules," he wasn’t just talking about neural pathways but was predicting the exact chaotic cusp we find ourselves on today. Look around you. We are drowning in AI hype. Big Tech is peddling a hyper-connected, cloud-dependent future where massive autonomous agents supposedly take over our jobs. But let’s look at the reality.

If you scroll through mainstream media, there is bound to be a call from government leaders or technology vendors rousing for businesses and the populace to go AI practically every day or so. It is as if AI is a panacea or some kind of digital “messiah.” The current business landscape, often characterised by turbulent waters and economic uncertainty, demands not just investment in AI but also a commitment to its literacy.

What is a crisis? Merriam-Webster's definition would be "an unstable or crucial time or state of affairs in which a decisive change is impending." If you think a crisis is unlikely to hit your business, you may need to have a rethink. Today, a crisis is not just an oil spill or a worksite fatal accident.