For businesses, only purpose must guide technology rollout
This story has significance for readers across Kenya and beyond.
As businesses rush to embrace artificial intelligence, automation, drones and other technologies, that distinction has never been more important.
Consider a knife. In the hands of a surgeon, it can save a life; in the hands of a chef, it can prepare a meal; in the wrong hands, it can cause harm. The knife itself is neither good nor bad. The impact of technology is determined not by the intentions, systems and people behind it.
Across boardrooms, conversations are dominated by AI, automation, drones, robotics and analytics. The pressure to keep up is immense. Organisations that succeed are rarely those that adopt technology first; they are often those that identify the clearest purpose for using it.
Kenya's mobile money revolution offers a lesson. M-Pesa did not succeed because it was technologically superior to every financial innovation of the time. It succeeded because it solved a problem millions of people faced and addressed a real need.
The story is no different in healthcare. In remote parts of Africa, a shortage of doctors is not always the greatest challenge. Distance is. A patient may be hours away from a hospital, but drones are helping bridge that gap by delivering medicines, blood and vaccines in minutes.
The same technology that delivers blood to a rural clinic can help protect endangered wildlife. Drones in Africa are being used to monitor animal populations, detect illegal activities and survey vast landscapes. In one setting, the drone becomes a healthcare tool. In another, it becomes a conservation gadget. Technology remains unchanged; only the purpose differs.
Agriculture is another compelling comparison. For generations, farmers relied on observation and experience to make decisions on planting, irrigation and pest control. Today, drones and AI can analyse crop health in real time and provide insights that improve yields while reducing costs. Here, technology is not replacing the farmer but enhancing ability to make informed decisions.
Even AI, perhaps the most debated technology today, follows the same pattern. AI can help doctors detect diseases earlier, assist teachers in personalising learning and help businesses improve customer service.
At the same time, it can be used to generate misinformation, facilitate fraud or invade privacy. The contrasting outcomes are not a reflection of the technology itself. They are a reflection of how humans choose to deploy it.
Business leaders should pay close attention to this distinction. Too often, organisations pursue technology because it is fashionable.
They invest in digital transformation programmes, AI platforms or automation tools without first identifying the problem they are attempting to solve. As a result, many technology projects fail not because the technology is inadequate, but because the purpose is unclear.
The writer is Associate Consultant at P&L Consulting Group
Reporting originally appeared via Business Daily. Read the full source for additional context.