In recent years, the advancement of Artificial Intelligence technologies (IA) and machine learning has radically transformed the way companies and professionals deal with data and make decisions. Machines excel at processing large volumes of information, finding subtle correlations and patterns that would go unnoticed by humans. Yet, As we advance in the use of these technologies, a critical challenge arises: to what extent machines are capable of promoting genuinely disruptive innovation?
Machines are designed to identify and improve correlations. They can analyze millions of data points and learn from them, adjusting your responses based on historical patterns. For example, predictive models can identify which customers are likely to abandon a service or predict consumption trends with high accuracy. These advancements are incredibly valuable for operational efficiency, process optimization and incremental improvements. However, the true innovative leap — the one that creates new industries or changes existing paradigms — often does not emerge solely from the analysis of existing data, but of a thought that challenges the status quo and breaks with the past.
Disruptive thinking is characterized by a breaking of patterns and a unique ability to think “out of the box”. It is driven by human creativity, intuition and the ability to question assumptions that everyone considers to be true. Innovations like the internet, the smartphone or even the concept of sharing economy, exemplified by Airbnb and Uber, arose not from established correlations, but of ideas that initially seemed unlikely or illogical. The machines, no matter how advanced they are, lack this ability to question the “why” fundamental of things. They operate based on “What is” — a synthesis of data and patterns —, but disruptive thinking requires exploring “what could it be”.
“Innovation is often a matter of connecting disparate ideas that are roaming freely through culture., so that they create a new path.” Steven Johnson
For example, Netflix's recommendation algorithm is a marvel of fine-grained correlations. It analyzes viewing data from millions of users to suggest the next movie or series that is likely to be of interest to a subscriber. While this approach improves user experience, it does not create a new form of entertainment or a radically new business model. The creation of Netflix itself, by breaking away from the DVD rental model and migrating to streaming, and subsequently produce original content, was an act of disruption led by a human vision for the future of entertainment.
Another notable example comes from the area of automotive innovation. Autonomous vehicles, AI-based, are able to detect traffic patterns, identify objects and make decisions in fractions of a second. This represents a monumental advance in terms of safety and efficiency. however, the idea of an autonomous vehicle did not come from a machine identifying a correlation; emerged from a human vision about the potential of technology to transform urban mobility and improve quality of life. It's the difference between tweaking the efficiency of an existing system and imagining a future where the system itself is radically different..
The crucial point here is to recognize that, although machines can assist in executing processes and optimizing existing solutions, they still depend on human vision to create something truly new. AI systems can suggest variations of an existing idea, but the imagination to think beyond known possibilities remains a human capacity. Disruptive innovation requires a combination of inspiration, cultural insights, emotional and social experiences that go beyond what data can capture.
The biggest danger, therefore, by relying exclusively on machines for innovation, is the risk of “optimization of the known”. In a world where companies constantly seek competitive advantage, Organizations that only invest in AI and data analytics risk losing sight of the transformative potential of genuinely new ideas. They can become masters at exploring the now, but blind to what comes next.
True innovation comes from a balance between the effective use of technology to enhance the present and the courage to explore an uncertain future with an open and creative mindset.