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By:

Prasad Dixit

11 October 2024 at 1:09:23 am

The Human Advantage in an Artificial Age

As artificial intelligence grows smarter and more efficient, the real battle may not be about machines surpassing humanity but about whether humans squander the qualities that still set them apart. With the recent news of a Chinese robot beating the human record in a half- marathon, there is renewed debate on how AI could outsmart human beings. Many experts see it as yet another proof of impending disaster as AI takes over most of the jobs in the years to come. This is not the first time when...

The Human Advantage in an Artificial Age

As artificial intelligence grows smarter and more efficient, the real battle may not be about machines surpassing humanity but about whether humans squander the qualities that still set them apart. With the recent news of a Chinese robot beating the human record in a half- marathon, there is renewed debate on how AI could outsmart human beings. Many experts see it as yet another proof of impending disaster as AI takes over most of the jobs in the years to come. This is not the first time when human civilization is facing a technological revolution that has the potential to impact society and economy in a profound manner. There is, however, a crucial difference with AI driven revolution that is often missed out. The first industrial revolution happened because steam engines were invented and it led to mechanization of production. It was followed by discovery of electrical energy and technologies to harness it for mass production. Next wave of evolution was led by computerization and automation in practically all the fields covering both offices and industrial shop floors through mainframes, personal computers, and programmable logic controllers. While all these leaps in technologies are very different in terms of the specific underlying inventions, they all have one thing in common. They were all invented to do things that were humanly impossible to do. One steam engine or electric motor could do the work that perhaps hundreds of humans would never be able to accomplish even with their collective muscle power. Automation of the manufacturing assembly line would deliver speed and accuracy that human beings would never be able to achieve. Beyond Human Technological advances in Telecommunication, for that matter, have simply expanded the range of 'hearing' and 'seeing' far beyond what human vocal chords, ears, and eyes could manage to do on their own. Computers, at its core, are essentially doing the math and calculations at a speed and accuracy that the human brain can never achieve. To add to that, machines using all these innovations in technology would work tirelessly without any fatigue for a duration that human beings would never be able to match. Although AI is yet another highly potent technological innovation, it is not as straightforward as the previous ones. It can absorb and synthesize huge amounts of data that the human brain perhaps cannot do. Ability of AI to answer any question reasonably well using all the global knowledge made available to it, summarize enormous amount of data and text quickly, quickly draw a complex picture based on instructions given verbally, predict a trend, recognize and highlight a specific face in a fraction of a second from millions of faces, write code based on simple English instructions, are all examples where the speed and accuracy of underlying computation is delivering what human being cannot match. However, there are several areas where human beings are trying to improve AI so that it can, some day, match or exceed capability that human beings themselves already have. Examples of this include the ability of AI to completely replace a human driver safely in all situations, understand full context or an intent behind a statement, carry out complex and well-coordinated mechanical activity in response to various unpredictable situations, react appropriately by correctly assessing the emotions at play, integrate generated code appropriately in the existing larger systems landscape, and so on. In such cases, AI is not exhibiting any capability that is humanly impossible to match. On the contrary, AI is trying to catch up with what humans can do easily. In other words, in these areas, AI is trying to become what humans already are. This very aspect separates AI driven technology revolution from all the previous ones. Direct Competition It is often said that AI and humans will co-exist in the future, and people will need to change their ways of working. It is obvious that AI is also going to directly compete with humans in many sectors. Equipment with an embedded chip on-board do compete with humans even today. A case in point is household equipment such as ‘intelligent’ washing machines and dish-washers where robots to do vacuum cleaning and floor mopping do compete with humans offering these services. A human household help can perform these activities far better than what a machine can do. However, given an affordable choice, an increasing number of households prefer machines over human maid services for a reason. Human household help may not always be punctual, sincere, honest, and reliable. But machines are. Uncontrolled emotions, anger, frustration, laziness, indiscipline, absenteeism do affect humans - but not AI driven machines (at least till the time AI itself acquires emotions of its own, and becomes self-aware some day). This aspect of comparison between AI and humans is likely to become far more prominent and consequential as AI driven machines and robots become more and more intelligent and thereby start competing far more effectively with human capability in many spheres. Competition is said to bring about improvement. Just as AI improves itself through continuous learning to mimic human behaviour and actions, human workforce also needs to improve itself by avoiding behavioural issues and inefficiencies referred to above. Otherwise, humans would lose the natural advantage that they still enjoy over AI, and which is likely to continue even in the foreseeable future. Employers or consumers in the labour-intensive service sector will accept AI driven machines and robots with all its known limitations if it turns out to be a better net-net deal in comparison to services offered by humans. This specific aspect has tremendous significance for India. Many Countries from the developed world do not have a young population with reasonably good IQ in required numbers. India, on the other hand, has it in abundance. One could compare it with abundant availability of Thorium or Sunlight in India as compared to the Western world. Consequently, unlike many Countries in the world that have a Uranium centric approach towards nuclear energy, India's approach needs to be centered around Thorium. India's strategy related to renewable, non-conventional, green energy needs to be based on solar power. Indian Context Strategies for adopting AI in the Indian context need to be similarly tailored for the Indian context. India needs to adopt AI in the areas where it clearly has an advantage over humans in terms of speed, throughput, ease of use, accuracy, and efficiency. However, the use of AI needs to be judiciously controlled in areas where AI is trying to catch up with the capabilities of the human mind and body. Several labour-intensive services such as drivers, caregivers for the elderly people, parcel delivery, security guards, maintenance and repair of various equipment, are all examples in that category. Educational policies and overall work culture in the Country needs to appreciate this reality. Just as AI experts are trying hard to 'teach' AI algorithms and improve them through supervised learning, another set of experts need to sensitize and teach humans on how to understand, appreciate, preserve, and further hone the significant natural advantage that they already have over AI. Despite all the technological breakthroughs in AI, in many areas, still, it is a battle that humans will lose only if they choose to. (The writer works in the Information Technology sector. Views personal.)

‘Revolutionising the Future of Work’

Sreenivas Tirdhala, Co-Founder of iSprout, talks about co-working spaces

Sreenivas Tirdhala

Mumbai: As the modern workplace continues to evolve, coworking spaces are becoming increasingly popular among entrepreneurs, startups, and large corporations alike. iSprout, a leading player in the Indian coworking market, is redefining the future of work with its innovative approach to shared office spaces. In an exclusive interview, Sreenivas Tirdhala, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of iSprout, shares insights into the company's vision, growth strategy, and what sets it apart from other coworking spaces in the market."


Q. What motivated the founders of iSprout to start the company, and how did they envision transforming the co-working real estate market?

A. iSprout's founders were inspired by the changing dynamics of the modern workplace. We saw a gap in the market for workspaces that combined flexibility, convenience and community to professional infrastructure. Our vision is to redefine coworking in personal service and premium design and promote a sense of belonging among tenants. The main goal is to make iSprout more than just an office space a center for innovation, collaboration and business growth.

Q. What challenges did iSprout face when it was first starting, and how did the team overcome them?

A. In its early days, iSprout faced challenges such as limited market awareness, Competition from famous players, and the complexity of setting up a large office space, including the spread of COVID-19 This has caused unprecedented disruption Operations interrupted and changing workspace needs. The team overcame these obstacles by focusing on customer-centric solutions, building a strong base of operations and creating partnerships with key industry players attention to detail adaptability and resilience during the pandemic have given us a strong foothold in the market, and become a reliable service provider of innovative office solutions.

Q. What are iSprout’s plans for expanding to new cities or regions?

A. iSprout is strategically expanding its presence in metropolitan areas and tier 2 cities with high growth potential and increasing demand for flexible office space. With focuses on premium locations, and plans to add 1 million square feet of new workspace in Hyderabad and aims to replicate this success in cities like Chennai, Pune, Bangalore, Kolkata and Kochi. Our expansion strategy focuses on scalability while maintaining the brand's unique identity and commitment to excellence.

Q. Has iSprout raised any funding so far, or are there plans to seek investment shortly to fuel expansion and growth?

A. iSprout, on the other hand, relies heavily on strategic partnerships and internal fundraising the founders are also open to outside funding to accelerate growth and scale operations. The plan is to find investments that align with long-term vision and bring innovative solutions to the coworking market.

Q. What differentiates iSprout from other co-working spaces in the market?

A. iSprout stands out with its focus on premium design, personalized service and promoting a strong community culture. Unlike traditional co-working spaces, iSprout tailors its offerings to meet its clients' specific needs. From ergonomically designed workstations to integrated technology solutions and dynamic environments, iSprout provides a holistic experience that goes beyond just an office space.

Q. How does iSprout identify and select locations for its co-working spaces?

A. iSprout takes a data-driven approach to selecting locations, analyzing factors such as business centres, connectivity, local amenities, and market needs. The team works closely with real estate experts (IPC/DPC/Local brokers) and prioritizes locations that align with target demographics and long-term strategic goals.


Q. What unique amenities and services does iSprout provide to its tenants?

A. iSprout offers complete amenities such as high-speed internet, tech-enabled meeting rooms, wellness zones, gourmet cafeterias, and premium lounges, All this is complemented by a specially designed interior which reflects the customer's brand identity. In addition to flexibility and convenience, iSprout reinforces that offering dynamic workspace options that allow tenants to use more than a fixed desk and choose a space that suits their needs, such as a breakout area, phone booth, or co-working space. With a dedicated team of experienced tenants that seamlessly manage all operational needs, iSprout ensures that businesses can focus on growing in a personalized professional environment.


Q. Can you share any data or milestones that highlight iSprout’s growth and success?

A. iSprout has established itself as a top 10 player in the Indian-managed office space sector, with operations in 6 cities and 23 centres. The company has successfully added 2.2 million square feet of workspace and expects to expand by another 1 million square feet soon. One of the standout innovations is the Airport Coworking Centre, which is Specially designed for travellers. With high customer retention rates and continued expansion, iSprout continues to grow in a highly competitive market.

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