On University of Miami Week: What is the long-term effect of AI on human behavior?
Nina Huang, professor and chair of business technology, discusses how to maximize the benefits and minimize the harms.
Faculty Bio:
Nina Huang is the Department Chair of Business Technology and Dennis & Smith Family Endowed Chair Professor at the Miami Herbert Business School, University of Miami, Florida. Nina’s expertise centers on understanding how digital technology can enhance user experiences and improve business outcomes. Her research program covers a range of digital contexts, including live streaming, online dating, online learning, online healthcare, mobile applications, and digital commerce.
Transcript:
Artificial intelligence and digital technologies have permeated most aspects of our lives, but what impacts will it have on the human experience long-term?
My research investigates how the cutting-edge technology will influence everything from human decision-making to economic and business outcomes. I seek to uncover the unknown by examining how AI and digital technologies affect the human experience across a variety of contexts, from online shopping and gaming, to software development and business strategy.
With any transformation, there will be positive and negative outcomes. In the case of AI, the consequences can have polarizing effects. On the one hand, AI stands to create tremendous opportunities. For instance, in a recent study I found that incorporating AI streaming assistants into livestream sales improved the online shopper experience. The technology mitigated common tensions in livestream selling, increased sales by 3%, and reduced product return rates by more than 12%.
The technology can spark unintended consequences as well. My research has also investigated the AI investments that businesses make following media exposure of labor issues. In these instances, when businesses invest in AI to address exposed problems, they often automate, rather than augment, human tasks, which puts jobs at risk. The range of effects underscore the importance of developing a comprehensive understanding of AI technology itself and its impact on user experience and business outcomes.
The academic community is uniquely positioned to be a force of good in this AI-led transformation. It is our responsibility to investigate and rigorously vet the evidence that can help users, organizations, and stakeholders understand the opportunities and challenges that accompany advancements. Let’s think about AI not simply as a technological innovation, but as a force that is transforming human behavior and institutions.
Read More:
[News @ the U] - AI assistant for online shopping
[News @ the U] - Labor feeling the squeeze from AI’s advance
