Can GenAI Transform Business Strategies and Operations?

Tanglin recently had the privilege of hosting Professor Sameer Hasija, Dean of Executive Education and Dean of the Asia Campus at INSEAD Business School, for a thought-provoking talk as part of the Centenary Speaker Series. Professor Hasija is a Professor of Technology and Operations Management, and his talk on generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) presented research to show how AI is shaping the future of businesses.

During the talk, one of the key insights that Professor Hasija shared was the rapid growth of AI models and how the pace of advancement makes it challenging to keep up with the progress. He also highlighted the difference between ideas generated by GenAI models, such as ChatGPT and those created by humans. While GenAI is great at generating ideas on a large scale, humans tend to come up with more unique and niche ideas. A recent study found that ideas from ChatGPT-4 generated more market interest, while human ideas were valued for their originality and specificity. This example highlighted how AI has the potential to boost profitability.

Another interesting point Professor Hasija discussed was how businesses can use GenAI strategically to improve their operations. He explained the basics of GenAI and introduced a simple framework to help decide if it should be used in a specific situation. This framework has three main parts. First, the task GenAI is being used for should be classified as either subjective (based on personal feelings) or objective (based on facts). Research shows that GenAI tends to perform better on subjective tasks. The second factor to consider is who is using the GenAI. For experts, the value of GenAI might be limited since human expertise is more valuable, but for someone with less experience (like an intern), GenAI can be very helpful. Lastly, the type of market (niche or mass) where GenAI is applied also matters. Considering all these factors, the framework is least effective when the task is objective, the user is highly skilled, and the market is also objective. Professor Hasija also highlighted that these results would be different with the use of specialised GenAI tools, such as those designed for scientific research, which can boost productivity for experts in their respective 
fields.

On a personal level, the talk made me appreciate GenAI platforms and tools more, and I can see how they could change the way MNCs and other businesses operate. Professor Hasija also shared some exciting developments in the field, particularly around generative agents—AI models that can communicate with each other. This technology can potentially create fully autonomous companies that require no human intervention. It really is fascinating, isn’t it? The potential for these technologies to reshape entire industries is mind-blowing. It makes you wonder just how much things will evolve in the future! It's an exciting time to be learning about AI and robotics, for sure.

At Tanglin, we have many opportunities to learn about GenAI and AI literacy through clubs, research projects, and classroom discussions to help us become effective and responsible users of AI tools. The Centenary Speaker Series has been a particularly enriching experience, and it is a great opportunity for students to learn outside the classroom.

I look forward to the next talk on February 20, which will introduce us to The Future of Robotics and Innovation, and I hope you will join it, too!

Article contributed by:
Sudhanva K. (Year 12)