A Symbiotic Necessity: IT Powered by Human and Machine Intelligence

It’s still a common fear that Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation could replace people and jobs. The word artificial begs us to draw comparisons like artificial sweeteners, or artificial grass which are direct replacements for the real thing.

But what we’ve discovered at Dell Technologies while helping customers benefit from AI-powered services, is that the term “Augmented Intelligence” is a better description of how machines and IT roles will work together to deliver better experiences. By this definition, humans are foundational in experiencing the benefits of AI.

As AI capabilities advance, we’re challenged to re-examine our relationship with technologies that once seemed threatening and determine how they can transform IT departments.

Stream my Dell Technologies World session, “Leveraging AI to Upskill Support and Create Meaningful Customer Experiences” to learn why now might be the perfect time to start embracing AI in IT.


What can Phil Collins and the Drum Machine Teach us About Embracing AI?

 In the 1980s, when the first digital drum machines were hitting the market, musicians were initially concerned that the technology would replace drummers.

Image source: The Origin Of The Classic, Phil Collins Drum Sound | GenesisFan

Early versions of the drum machine had been around for a long time, in fact, the first analog version was created in Turkey in 1206.

But as the technology became more refined, digital, and user-friendly, marked by the release of the Roland 808 forty years ago, musicians began to see the drum machine as an opportunity to augment their music.

The shift didn’t replace drummers. It was in fact, embraced by one of the most famous drummers of all time – Phil Collins. His ballad One More Night wouldn’t exist without the Roland 808 – a song that hit number one on the Billboard charts in 1985.

Phil Collins wasn’t alone. Artists like Whitney Houston, Marvin Gaye, and Talking Heads also rose to the top of the charts with songs that leveraged the 808. The adoption of technology paved the way for innovative new genres like hip-hop and electronic, changing music forever.

The Next Era of Human + Machine Partnership for IT Professionals   

The current and next stages relating to AI that have the potential to create tools that will augment and reshape IT roles.

You can find examples of the current AI capabilities in Dell Technologies Services today with connectivity tools like SupportAssist1 which uses machine learning to give IT managers insight into end-user PCs with actions that can target a personalized need. This might include predicting a failure or updating a driver before it causes an interruption or downtime.

The transition into reinforcement learning is opening doors for support technicians to intelligently leverage learnings from millions of problems and solutions they may have never encountered before.

As Augmented Intelligence becomes more useful for IT and is embraced in their day-to-day, we will see the opportunities for innovation unfold as they did for drummers and the drum machine.

To learn more about the future of AI and AI-powered solutions from Dell Technologies Services and how AI can help augment IT for better end-user experience check out my [on-demand session] “Leveraging AI to Upskill Support and Create Meaningful Customer Experiences“.

SupportAssist automatically detects and proactively alerts Dell to: operating system issues, software upgrades, driver updates and patches, malware, virus infected files, failures of hard drives, batteries, memory, internal cables, thermal sensors, heat sinks, fans, solid state drives and video cards. Predictive analysis failure detection includes hard drives, solid state drives, batteries, thermals and desktop fans. Not available on Linux, Windows RT, Android, Ubuntu or select Chrome based products.

About the Author: Michael Shepherd

Michael is a Distinguished Engineer and recognized technical evangelist who speaks globally on the impact of emerging technologies. With 25 yrs of experience in Technology backed by 14 years of growing up in Asia, he currently leads AI Research for Dell Technologies Services and serves on the Pan Dell Patent Committee. Michaels responsibilities include engaging with external researchers and collaborating internally across the Chief Technology Offices to envision and drive transformation as we prepare for the Age of AI. As Augmented Intelligence improves the efficiency by which humans and machines work together, Michael focuses on “the possibilities” with Machine Intelligence and provides a vision for how Data Scientists in Dell Technologies Services can help drive human progress and better outcomes for businesses and humanity. Michaels experience as a sole proprietor and subsequent 20+ yrs at Dell in multiple organizations give him a unique perspective of Dell’s entire product lifecycle. He serves on the MSBA advisory council for the University of Texas McCombs School of Business and has been granted thirteen hardware and software patents in eight countries. When he isn’t consumed by Machine Intelligence, he can be found hiking with family and friends somewhere off the beaten path and out of service.