The Humachine: Humankind, Machines, and the Future of Enterprise

There is a lot of hype, hand-waving, and ink being spilled about artificial intelligence (AI) in business. The amount of coverage of this topic in the trade press and on shareholder calls is evidence of a large change currently underway. It is awesome and terrifying. You might think of AI as a major environmental factor that is creating an evolutionary pressure that will force enterprise to evolve or perish. For those companies that do survive the "silicon wave" sweeping through the global economy, the issue becomes how to keep their humanity amidst the tumult.

What started as an inquiry into how executives can adopt AI to harness the best of human and machine capabilities turned into a much more profound rumination on the future of humanity and enterprise. This is a wake-up call for business leaders across all sectors of the economy. Not only should you implement AI regardless of your industry, but once you do, you should fight to stay true to your purpose, your ethical convictions, indeed your humanity, even as our organizations continue to evolve. While not holding any punches about the dangers posed by overpowered AI, this book uniquely surveys where technology is limited, and gives reason for cautious optimism about the true opportunities that lie amidst all the disruptive change currently underway. As such, it is distinctively more optimistic than many of the competing titles on Big Technology.

This compelling book weaves together business strategy and philosophy of mind, behavioral psychology and the limits of technology, leadership and law. The authors set out to identify where humans and machines can best complement one another to create an enterprise greater than the sum total of its parts: the Humachine.

Combining the global business and forecasting acumen of Professor Nada R. Sanders, PhD, with the legal and philosophical insight of John D. Wood, Esq., the authors combine their strengths to bring us this profound yet accessible book. This is a "must read" for anyone interested in AI and the future of human enterprise.

Nada R. Sanders, PhD, is distinguished professor at D’Amore McKim School of Business at Northeastern University in Boston. Her expertise includes forecasting, analytics, global supply chain intelligence, and sustainability. She is the 2019 president of the Production and Operations Management Society and fellow of the Decision Sciences Institute. Her publications have appeared in California Management Review, Journal of Operations Management, International Journal of Forecasting, and Production and Operations Management Journal.

John D. Wood, Esq., is a member of the New York and Texas Bar Associations and a graduate of NYU School of Law. He is founder of The Law Firm of John D. Wood, PLLC, providing strategic counsel to property owners. His expertise includes risk management, legal compliance, and sustainable business strategy. His publications have appeared in NYU Journal of Law and Liberty, NYU Environmental Law Journal, The Environmental Law Reporter, as well as numerous Bar Association journals.