In a guest article for Fokus magazine, published as a supplement to the «Tages-Anzeiger», Catrin Hinkel, CEO of Microsoft Switzerland, explains why diverse perspectives are a key prerequesite for better decision-making in the age of AI and help ensure that AI’s potential is harnessed responsibly.
A Swiss study highlights the challenge: 72 per cent of surveyed leaders and organisational representatives surveyed are concerned about bias in generative AI, yet only five per cent feel able to identify such biases reliably. Hinkel makes clear that this is not just a technological issue, but a key leadership responsibility. Different experiences and viewpoints help identify risks and blind spots at an early stage. Women should therefore be represented as a matter of course wherever technologies are developed, deployed and shaped.
AI is also changing the role of leaders, but not their responsibility. While digital assistants take on routine tasks and support analysis, providing direction, exercising human judgement and taking responsibility for decisions remain essential. This requires training and a responsible approach to AI at every stage, from strategy to implementation. Hinkel identifies curiosity as a critical skill for the future: leadership in the age of AI means asking the right questions, incorporating diverse perspectives and actively shaping change.
You can read Catrin Hinkel’s full guest article here: https://issuu.com/smart_media/docs/fokus_future_of_leadership/10