Is AI the new Olean potato chips?
Is AI the new Olean potato chips?
Olean, also known as olestra, was a revolutionary synthetic fat substitute that made fat-free chips taste like the real thing. The science was sound, the FDA approved it, and Frito-Lay fully embraced it. Consumers eagerly lined up to try it.
Then came the warning label: "May cause abdominal cramping and loose stools." Not exactly what you want to see on a snack food label, especially after bulldozing a whole bag in rush hour traffic.
The ingredient worked as promised, passing through the digestive system without being digested, but it also stripped other nutrients from the body along the way.
Is this what will happen to companies with an over-reliance on AI and under-reliance on human input? Will it ultimately deplete what they already possess?
It remains to be seen if AI will follow the path of Olean. The technology may function effectively, but the risk lies in organizations “optimizing” away essential human attributes: judgment in ambiguous situations, reading a room, recognizing when something is off, trust, accountability.
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