Generative Artificial Intelligence has been making news headlines in 2024 since the introduction of platforms such as ChatGPT 4. Concerns have been raised in the media regarding privacy, security and job loss to AI. This article will explore the pros and cons of using generative AI in the workplace, with a particular focus on technical support and business administration.
While generative AI can increase efficiency (more on this later) it does pose privacy and security risks if used incorrectly. For example, your workplace policy may restrict the sharing of confidential customer data, or business proprietary information via third party platforms.
To provide a scenario of business administration use, SQL database administrators may see the benefits of using generative AI to assist with the SQL language and syntax. In simple terms, SQL language is the words used to query data, and syntax is how those words are formatted. In this scenario a SQL database administrator requires the use of complicated SQL database queries. To improve efficiency, the administrator may decide to use generative AI to structure the SQL language to a correct syntax, however this could carry risks to cyber security if the administrator shares the structure of database table names or consumer identification information with a third party AI platform.
To mitigate this risk, placeholders can be used when sending a query to a third party AI provider. For example instead of providing AI details on database table column names (i.e. column ACME_Customer_records) a placeholder can be used, (i.e. column example_customer_records) and the database administrator can simply enter in the corresponding information without sharing the database structure or customer information with the AI system.
Generative AI can have practical uses within a business administrative environment, such as increasing efficiency and providing staff assistance with navigating business applications. This is not a new concept. The Microsoft assistant tool known as Clippy that was used in the 1990s can be seen as a very early version of an AI Assistant (Imagine Clippy enhanced with todays generative AI, now that will be something)
Generative AI can be used to assist computer and network technicians to provide more efficient technical support. This in turn will benefit the customer if the technician can resolve the issue within one hour with the use of AI, as opposed to three hours without the use of AI. This will save the consumer time and money and restore services within a faster timeframe. However, the technician must apply best practices in terms of security, privacy and combating technical misinformation. Because as useful as generative AI can be, generative AI can and does make mistakes.
To provide a scenario of technical support use, when setting up a network switch a technician or network engineer may prompt generative AI to generate a complex network configuration that includes network segmentation and other features. To achieve this the technician or engineer will require private company internal network information such as IP addressing, Subnets, VLAN IDs, Trunking, Switchports etc. Internal network information like this should always be kept confidential due to cyber security concerns and placeholders should always be used instead of internal network details while querying generative AI.
This is one of many reasons why its unlikely that generative AI will replace the roles of network technicians and engineers as companies will always be looking to minimise their sensitive data footprint. Furthermore, generative AI can make mistakes as many qualified technicians and network engineers would have experienced. There is also lot of prerequisite knowledge needed to troubleshoot a network and generative AI (just like Clippy) cant do this on its own without human input (Think of Johnny 5 from Short Circuit, Johnny loves input). Generative AI is more like a guide, not a replacement of human talent.
So, to conclude, generative AI systems can be a useful tool for increasing staff efficiency while also providing staff assistance with navigating business applications, kinda like an advanced version of the Clippy office assistant. However, generative AI can pose a risk to cyber security if not used correctly and is prone to making mistakes. Overall, the onus falls on the person using the generative AI tool, be that person an experienced business administrator or a qualified technician. Just like how the invention of the powerdrill tool increased efficiency over the screwdriver, generative AI is a tool that can boost the efficiency of experienced and qualified professionals (Kinda like having your own Johnny 5 assistant to help you at work).
P.S regardless of media sensationalism generative AI is not going to rise up and take over the world. However, it can and has been used to impersonate humans on social media, but thats a story for another time
If you would like to see a more comedic take on generative AI, read my article that includes short videos of a fictional invasion of Australia by the Emus via the following link: Using Generative AI to Simulate a Fictional Emu Invasion of Australia