What to know before bringing AI, chatbots on board

As AI's abilities and capabilities increase, business leaders must prepare their employees to work alongside it. Damian Mingle, president and CEO of machine-learning company LogicPlum, writes about how roles will shift, what to consider before bringing in chatbots and other AI, a caution about using it and how to get employees and chatbots working seamlessly.

Put it into practice: Tell your employees about AI before you unveil it so they understand how their jobs will get better and what upskilling they might need, Mingle writes. Use a mentorship program to ensure AI specialists are always available, and plan initial and continuous training.

When boards are looking for CEO successors, Rebecca Henderson, board director and the former CEO of global businesses at Randstad, says they want to know how those leaders have handled tough situations like COVID-19 and the murder of George Floyd. "All the competency reports and assessments that are out there are useful, but you have to be eye-to-eye with someone, talking about things that have happened to them in the past and how they handled them, to really understand their sincerity and whether they will be able to handle all the new challenges they are going to face in today's super-complicated world," Henderson says.

If you don't know what "blatherskite," "pawky" or "rawgabbit" mean, you're probably not alone, but Wayne State University's 15th annual Word Warriors list can help you learn and use them this year. "I love to picture myself inhaling the petrichor after a summer thunderplump or listening to someone twankle away on a guitar. It's really a great selection this year," says Chris Williams, head of the Word Warriors program.

I love words. That's probably why I always wanted to be a writer. I recall carrying a book around even before I learned to read. I would open it and stare at the pages, thinking, "One day, I'll be able to unlock all your secrets."

When I finally could decipher what was on the page, I experienced "curglaff," or the shock one feels when they first plunge into cold water. It was a bracing yet welcome awakening into the world of words.

I try to learn a new word each day and put it to use, so Wayne State University's annual Word Warriors list is a cornucopia of new words to know.

I used to be pawky and a bit of a rawgabbit before I learned people might come to view me as a blatherskite unless I changed my ways. Now, I know better. These days, you'll find me twankling away on my guitar.

Do you love words? What are your favorites -- obscure or familiar? Let me know!

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