The Limits of Automation

Dr. Martin Mwanje – Lwanga

Even before the lockdown it was pretty evident that one way organizations can cut cost and thrive is by way of automation. In fact the buzz has long been about going Artificial Intelligence and how all traditional jobs are going to be replaced by intelligent machines. In this new world order there will be little room for human beings.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

To begin with nothing new here. Traditionally many tasks used to be performed manually but over time machines came in to increase efficiencies. The best example can be seen in Agriculture where the hand hoe used to be the norm for large scale farming only for the tractor to take over especially in the more developed world.

Few will dispute that there are numerous advantages where machines come in and replace labour. Take the example of security. The deployment of CCTV cameras is well acknowledged as enabling any organization with the ability to see through spaces where ordinarily individuals aren’t. Human beings do tire; but machines can be turned on 24/7.

Yes, turned on, and off- and that is where the problem starts. Behind every machine there is a human being controlling that switch. Until we come to that stage where machines run our lives they serve at the obedience of human command. And it is precisely because of this that there is nothing like a machine proof society. Critically, machines can be manipulated by whoever controls that switch.

Not long ago I came across an incident where valuables had been stored in a safe room in one organization. There were CCTV cameras aimed towards the door and pathway. Sometime later upon inspection it was found the objects of great value had gone missing. So the organization run to the CCTV cameras. Well, if was found that the cameras had been altered and were looking the other way round. They had no images at all of the thieves!

Perhaps you have heard of the suicide of Jeffrey Epstein, the famous financier, while held in a New York jail on charges of child molestation. As he was on suicide watch there were CCTV cameras aimed at his cell to capture any suspicious movements. Upon his death investigations found that on that day of his suicide not only was security asleep but the cameras had also malfunctioned. Big coincidence. Investigations are still going on how this could have happened.

The point here is that wherever we deploy machines we should never forget there is a human being behind. If an organization has decided to invest heavily in automation as a cost cutting measure but fails to invest in soft skills like orienting staff of the need then it is in for a rude shock.

One such medical facility that decided to go high tech hoping it would reduce its costs of business operation found only the bill going far much higher. The organization had forgotten that beyond investing in machines there were also human beings who needed as much attention to run them. It had only looked at one angle forgetting the most important part of investing in human resource.

As organizations in the post COVID-19 era go digital and automate it will be a mistake as many will realize to fail to invest in their human resource, as machine can only go as far the people behind them will allow.