Human + Machine: Reimagining Work in the Age of AI

by Paul R. Daugherty, H. James Wilson

Overview

AI is radically transforming business. Are you ready?

Look around you. Artificial intelligence is no longer just a futuristic notion. It's here right now--in software that senses what we need, supply chains that "think" in real time, and robots that respond to changes in their environment. Twenty-first-century pioneer companies are already using AI to innovate and grow fast. The bottom line is this: Businesses that understand how to harness AI can surge ahead. Those that neglect it will fall behind. Which side are you on?

In Human + Machine, Accenture leaders Paul R. Daugherty and H. James (Jim) Wilson show that the essence of the AI paradigm shift is the transformation of all business processes within an organization--whether related to breakthrough innovation, everyday customer service, or personal productivity habits. As humans and smart machines collaborate ever more closely, work processes become more fluid and adaptive, enabling companies to change them on the fly--or to completely reimagine them. AI is changing all the rules of how companies operate.

Based on the authors' experience and research with 1,500 organizations, the book reveals how companies are using the new rules of AI to leap ahead on innovation and profitability, as well as what you can do to achieve similar results. It describes six entirely new types of hybrid human + machine roles that every company must develop, and it includes a "leader’s guide" with the five crucial principles required to become an AI-fueled business.

Human + Machine provides the missing and much-needed management playbook for success in our new age of AI.

BOOK PROCEEDS FOR THE AI GENERATION
The authors' goal in publishing Human + Machine is to help executives, workers, students and others navigate the changes that AI is making to business and the economy. They believe AI will bring innovations that truly improve the way the world works and lives. However, AI will cause disruption, and many people will need education, training and support to prepare for the newly created jobs. To support this need, the authors are donating the royalties received from the sale of this book to fund education and retraining programs focused on developing fusion skills for the age of artificial intelligence.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781633693869
Publisher:	Harvard Business Review Press
Publication date:	03/20/2018
Pages:	264
Sales rank:	459,732
Product dimensions:	6.40(w) x 9.30(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

New York City–based Paul R. Daugherty (@PaulDaugh) is the Chief Technology and Innovation Officer of Accenture. He leads Accenture's AI initiatives, as well as its R&D facilities around the world. San Francisco–based H. James (Jim) Wilson (@HJamesWilson) is Managing Director of Information Technology and Business Research at Accenture Research. He is the coauthor of What's the Big Idea? Creating and Capitalizing on the Best Management Thinking (Harvard Business Review Press).

Author social media/website info:
Daugherty: accenture.com/us-en/company-paul-daugherty, twitter.com/pauldaugh, linkedin.com/in/paul-r-daugherty/
Wilson: accenture.com/us-en/company-james-wilson, twitter.com/hjameswilson, linkedin.com/in/h-james-wilson

Table of Contents

Introduction: What's Our Role in the Age of AI? 1

Part 1 Imagining a Future of Humans + Machines . . . Today

1 The Self-Aware Factory Floor: Al in Production, Supply Chain, and Distribution 19

2 Accounting for Robots: Al in Corporate Functions 45

3 The Ultimate Innovation Machine: Al in R&D and Business Innovation 67

4 Say Hello to Your New Front-Office Bots: Al in Customer Service, Sales, and Marketing 85

Part 2 The Missing Middle: Reimagining Processes with Al

Part 2 Introduction 105

5 Rearing Your Algorithms Right: Three Roles Humans Play in Developing and Deploying Responsible Al 113

6 Super Results from Everyday People: Three Ways Al Unleashes New Levels of Productivity 135

7 A Leader's Guide to Reimagining Process: Five Steps to Getting Started 153

8 Extending Human + Machine Collaboration: Eight New Fusion Skills for an Al Workplace 183

Conclusion: Creating Your Future in the Human + Machine Era 207

Postscript 215

Notes 217

Index 229

Acknowledgments 243

About the Authors 247

Editorial Reviews

Named one of the "Best Business Books of 2018" by Fortune CEO Daily

"…the authors bring to life the realities of modern management. Readers gain a tactile sense of how technology changes business over time and why 'the robots are coming' is no scarier an observation than ever before." -- The Wall Street Journal

Advance Praise for Human + Machine:

Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman, World Economic Forum--
"A richly detailed guidebook that leaders need to capture the opportunities of AI and the fourth industrial revolution."

Satya Nadella, CEO, Microsoft--
"Daugherty and Wilson advance the conversation we need to have about the future of computer and human collaboration . . . With grounded skill and enthusiasm, the authors have delivered a roadmap that welcomes us to a productive future."

Erik Brynjolfsson, Director, MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy--
"Human + Machine shines new light on our burning need to reinvent nearly everything about the way we work. Daugherty and Wilson have hands-on experience leading these changes, giving this book an exceptional level of credibility and insight. Have your whole team read it before your competitors do!"

Arianna Huffington, founder and CEO, Thrive Global--
"Daugherty and Wilson give a blueprint for a future in which AI augments our humanity . . . the book is a practical guide to understanding AI--what it means in our lives and how we can make the most of it."

Henning Kagermann, President, acatech; former Chairman and CEO, SAP--
"Daugherty and Wilson answer the fundamental question, how do we help our workforce transition into the age of AI? Without question, Human + Machine is the handbook you need to move forward."

Missy Cummings, professor, Pratt School of Engineering; Director, Humans and Autonomy Laboratory, Duke University--
"A must-read for business managers who know AI should be a big part of their job but find the topic intimidating and confusing."

Marc Benioff, Chairman and CEO, Salesforce--
"Human + Machine is a roadmap to the future--read it if you're serious about understanding the impact of AI and how it is driving growth."

Doug McMillon, President and CEO, Walmart--
"Human + Machine shows how jobs and tasks can be rethought and redesigned such that people and machines achieve more effective, efficient outcomes together. The book's practical and valuable examples bring the future to life."

From the Publisher