Humans vs. Machines: Who Wins?
In the eternal struggle between humans and machines, I have come to trust the opinion of chess champion Gary Kasparov. Not least because his opinion has changed over time and as he examined results.
His conclusion is: machines are better than humans at some things. Humans are better than machines at some things. And nobody can beat the best of a human using the best of a machine.
In other words: it’s all about collaboration.
What humans do best
Automation, apps, and software tools do not replace us.
Used properly, they make us faster, more efficient, more efficacious.
But it is more than that: when used properly machines should also be enhancing our natural human traits. Our creativity, our humor, our instinct, all should have more room to grow when we outsource some functions to machines.
What machines do best
When used properly, machines outperform us in tasks, triggers, repetition, and consistency.
Nothing is better at remembering things than my phone. I have to tell it what to remember, but it will then never forget, and indeed will even nudge me to remind me of the thing through notifications.
Repetitive tasks can challenge human performance as well. We struggle to maintain the same level of concentration over an extended period. My computer, however, gives me consistent performance, at the touch of a button.
Humans and machines
Systems do not remove the need for humans, they simply refocus our attention on new tasks.
Don’t fear the use of tools for getting a job done.
And don’t outsource all your thinking to a tool or machine either.
Remember what you are good at, remember what the machine is good at, and make the most of all of your skills.
The proper systems and resources make for a happy workforce.
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