How multi-modal AI might advance technical support, change human roles in the field, and how people and machines can work together effectively.
OpenAI recently announced ChatGPT-4o, the next iteration of their multi-modal model, which has demonstrated the ability to take text, image, video, and audio input and return text, images, and audio to the user. We'll look at:
- AI-powered advancements within technical support
- the evolving role of humans in support
- how man and machine can co-exist in this space
What's this I keep hearing about multi-modal AI and artificial general intelligence (AGI)?
As companies compete to come out on top in the AI race, we're seeing advancements and more features included in their offerings. The latest wave includes multi-modal capable AI models which can accept as input and produce as output text, images, audio, and video.
It sounds like Google Assistant or Siri. What's so different about all of this
The two main differences are quicker responses and a leap in natural human-computer interaction, which can be delayed and awkward at the best of times. OpenAI claims their latest model can respond with audio in about 320 milliseconds and their videos show less friction in the end-user experience.
A software assistant sounds like a great business idea...
Bingo. In fact, BIMLOGIQ is one Australian company making moves in the AEC software space. It's developing Copilot, which promises to 'enable users to interact with Revit through natural language, eliminating the need for coding.' Another is WiseBIM, who is developing WiseBIM for Autodesk Revit which can turn 2D drawings into 3D models.
We're in trouble, aren't we...
Job roles are certainly adapting to technological developments. While we can offload much of the knowledge recollection to a digital assistant - which is great for knowledge sharing and organisations who fear expert employees will leave a knowledge void should they depart the company - there are some things that humans may have the upper hand on for a while.
Such as?
Empathy and fostering a healthy workplace community. As AI masters and eventually surpasses human knowledge in the domain of answering technical questions, it's worth reflecting on 'what makes us human'.
That got deep quickly...
For BIM support teams to successfully co-exist with AI systems, we'll need to exercise leadership when called upon, bridge connections between different parts of the organisations we know so well, and authentically empathise with people's software troubleshooting woes.'
Aww - sounds warm and fuzzy.
You're welcome 😄