AI-Driven Decision Making: 9 Best Practices for Business Leaders

In today’s rapidly evolving landscape, harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) has become paramount for businesses seeking to remain competitive. To shed light on this dynamic intersection of technology and leadership, we’ve gathered insights from nine industry experts. Delve into our comprehensive guide as we explore the nuanced strategies and best practices advocated by these thought leaders, offering invaluable wisdom on navigating AI-driven decision-making processes in the modern business world.

• Implement a System of Checks and Balances
• Use The YOURS Framework
• Implement Cross-Functional AI Governance
• Blend AI Efficiency with Human Sensibility
• Balance AI Analysis with Human Approval
• Integrate Human Judgment for Value-Aligned Decisions
• Balance Technology and Human Insight
• Harness AI as a Super-Powered Research Assistant
• Incorporate Human Empathy with AI Data Analysis

Implement a System of Checks and Balances

As a Director with a background in ecommerce and product recommendations, I’ve had ample experience in balancing the benefits of AI with the essential component of human intuition and expertise.

AI has become an integral part of decision making within many businesses, but it’s crucial to ensure that these decisions remain in tune with the business’s core values and objectives. In my experience, one effective way to achieve this is by implementing a system of checks and balances. This involves creating a feedback loop where AI decisions are regularly reviewed by human teams. These teams, equipped with an understanding of the company’s ethos and long-term goals, can then validate or adjust the decisions accordingly.

For instance, in our business of gift recommendations, while our AI system can generate a list of potential gifts based on algorithms and data analysis, the final recommendations are always reviewed and approved by our team. This is done to ensure the suggestions are not only suitable based on the data, but also align with our company’s values and the nuanced needs of our customers – a factor that is sometimes missed by AI.

Moreover, we have integrated human judgment into the AI training process itself. By doing so, we ensure the AI system is taught to consider our company’s values and goals from the very beginning. The AI is trained using data that has been annotated by our experts, thereby incorporating their understanding and judgment into the AI system.

In conclusion, while AI can significantly improve efficiency and drive growth, it’s essential to remember that it is a tool to aid human decision-making, not replace it. Thus, the inclusion of human judgment in the decision-making process is crucial to maintain alignment with the organisation’s goals and values.

Billy Parker, Managing Director, Gift Delivery

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Use The YOURS Framework

I wrote a whole article called the YOURS framework to help people edit AI articles they would add to their sites from our tool.

This framework ensures people can front load the human judgment over the AI-driven decisions.

Y – Make it Yours. Add your tone. Remove the AI patterns within the content.

O – Optimise for your channel. Could be social/blog/video. Make the changes for it to fit your publishing channel.

U – Update. All AI’s are out of date to some extent. Go through an find the places where you need to update the information to your audience.

R – Relatable. Add human first experiences to your article. Those experiences are something no AI has access to. So you can add something no one else has.

S – Strengthen. Images, video, multi-media. Add those things and you take your AI drive content, plus human judgements and end up with amazing content.

Tim Hanson, CCO, Penfriend

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Implement Cross-Functional AI Governance

One of my focus areas with clients includes AI’s impact on the workforce, beyond its use, and into the impact on the workforce itself.  From client discussions, two things have emerged that I’d recommend.  Establish a cross-functional AI governance committee including ethics, compliance, and HR, to help keep AI projects in line with organizational values and ethical considerations. Also, implement a “human approval” team procedure to ensure these considerations have been addressed.

Be sure your team members are comprised of tech experts and individuals who understand the company’s goals, culture, and ethics, and with members who can set aside biases to the greater goal.  Adapt this approach based on the complexity of the problem.

Cheryle Hays, Founder & CEO, InPower Strategists

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Blend AI Efficiency with Human Sensibility

In a world where AI can whip up decisions faster than a barista does your morning espresso, ensuring these decisions reflect your organization’s soul is crucial. Here’s the deal: AI is a tool, not the carpenter. First, spoon-feed it context like you’re trying to make it win a trivia night—detail is king. Then, before you let that AI-generated masterpiece see the light of day, pull up a chair and give it the good ol’ human once-over. Ask yourself, “Does this actually sound like us, or is it more HAL 9000?” and “Will this resonate with flesh-and-blood humans out there?” It’s about blending AI’s efficiency with human sensibility, ensuring not just alignment with goals, but also with values. Remember, AI might be driving, but you’re the one with the map and moral compass.

Meesha Gerhart, CEO, Redtree Web Design

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Balance AI Analysis with Human Approval

A key practice we implement is the establishment of an AI Governance Committee. This committee, composed of members from various departments, such as marketing strategy, data analysis, ethics, and compliance, oversees the deployment and operation of AI technologies within our campaigns and strategies.

One practical example of incorporating human judgment in decision-making is using AI in our content personalization efforts. While our AI algorithms analyze customer data to predict and suggest content that aligns with individual preferences and behaviors, our content team reviews and approves the final content selection and messaging tone. This ensures that the material resonates with the target audience personally, embodies our brand’s voice, and adheres to ethical marketing practices.

Vaibhav Kakkar, CEO, Digital Web Solutions

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Integrate Human Judgment for Value-Aligned Decisions

Aligning AI-driven decisions with an organization’s goals and values requires a thoughtful approach that integrates human judgment into the decision-making process. One effective way to do this is by establishing clear guidelines and principles that reflect the organization’s mission, ethics, and objectives.

For example, suppose a company aims to prioritize customer satisfaction and ethical practices. In that case, it can develop specific criteria for evaluating AI algorithms and models. These criteria might include factors such as fairness, transparency, and accountability. By incorporating these values into the design and evaluation of AI systems, the organization can ensure that its decisions uphold its principles and contribute to its overarching goals.

Additionally, it’s essential to involve human experts at various stages of the AI development and deployment process. These experts can provide valuable insights and perspectives that algorithms alone may overlook. For instance, human judgment can help identify potential biases in the data or unintended consequences of AI-driven decisions. By incorporating diverse viewpoints and expertise, organizations can make more informed choices that align with their values and objectives.

Ultimately, achieving alignment between AI-driven decisions and organizational goals requires a collaborative effort that blends the strengths of both humans and machines. By integrating human judgment into the AI decision-making process and prioritizing values-based criteria, organizations can harness the power of AI technology while staying true to their core principles.

Camille Fortuno, B2B Marketing Research Specialist, UpCity

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Balance Technology and Human Insight

With nearly a decade of experience in the field, I’m reaching out to provide valuable insights into the delicate dance between AI-driven decisions and organizational goals.

At Gradient Insight, we understand the critical importance of ensuring that AI aligns seamlessly with the core values and objectives of an organization. One strategy we employ involves an intentional fusion of cutting-edge technology with the timeless wisdom of human judgment.

Let me illustrate this with a real-world example. Recently, while working with a prominent e-commerce client, we implemented an AI-driven recommendation system to enhance user experience. To ensure alignment with the company’s values, we integrated a feedback loop that actively involved human judgment. Instead of relying solely on algorithmic predictions, we empowered a team of experienced merchandisers to review and fine-tune the AI-generated recommendations.

This human-in-the-loop approach not only ensured that the recommendations resonated with the company’s brand image but also allowed for a nuanced understanding of user preferences that algorithms might overlook. By fostering this collaboration between AI capabilities and human expertise, we achieved a delicate balance that not only met business objectives but also reflected the organization’s values.

In essence, our philosophy at Gradient Insight revolves around leveraging AI as a powerful tool while recognizing the irreplaceable role of human judgment in steering decisions toward alignment with organizational goals. I believe this approach is indicative of a broader trend within the industry, where successful integration of AI involves a thoughtful blend of technological prowess and human insight.

Iu Ayala, CEO and Founder, Gradient Insight

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Harness AI as a Super-Powered Research Assistant

At our data orchestration startup, we believe AI’s power lies in amplifying human judgment, not replacing it. We see AI as a super-powered research assistant, surfacing insights and patterns at lightning speed. But the final call, making sure alignment with our mission of democratizing data, always rests with our human experts.

Think of it like this: AI can analyze a million customer reviews in seconds, highlighting trends and potential pain points. But it’s our data analysts, guided by their understanding of our values and business goals, who decide how to address those issues and craft the most impactful solutions. It’s a powerful partnership between data and human intuition.

Hugo Lu, CEO, Orchestra

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Incorporate Human Empathy with AI Data Analysis

In personal injury law specifically, human empathy is so important. As personal injury attorneys, our goal is always to help our clients get justice after an injury that occurred through no fault of their own, such as being permanently injured in a car accident that wasn’t their fault. There are AI tools that are incredibly helpful and allow us to analyze information much faster than ever before. It helps us review similar cases to help determine what our client’s cases could potentially be valued at.

However, human judgment, and more importantly, empathy, is more valuable than ever before as a result. Within our firm, we have prioritized incorporating human empathy with the AI data analysis we now have at our disposal. We make all the final decisions and do not accept AI “decisions” as the final answer!

Andrew Biren, Managing Attorney, Biren Law Group

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