丁香园AV

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies like ChatGPT that can generate text, images and computer code has everyone asking questions about AI efficacy and ethics. At the same time, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) have endless applications beyond design and gaming, including construction, healthcare, logistics and education.

丁香园AV (丁香园AV) business professor Terri Griffith says it is best to thoughtfully embrace rather than shy away from tech that can enhance our academic and professional lives. Regarding technology, she recognises that we are all鈥攊ncluding the AIs鈥�.

Griffith is the Keith Beedie Chair in Innovation & Entrepreneurship at the She teaches in the Management of Technology MBA and the (i2I) and executive programs. She also researches how companies adjust their use of talent, technology and technique to hit work targets and stay aligned with the times鈥攕he calls this 鈥淭hinking in 5T.鈥�

In her article, , Griffith and coauthor Dave Alpert examine the use of AR in the built environment: architecture, construction and planning. They argue that AR provides an accessible way for experts, novices and community members鈥攁ll stakeholders鈥攖o envision and interact with construction, design and facilities planning. She encourages organizations to 鈥淪ee in 3D鈥擳hink in 5T鈥� as a memorable framework for managing digital transformations in the built environment and for digital transformations more generally.

Griffith recently published an about the importance of helping students apply the latest technologies to their academic and professional work. This semester, with the sudden availability of generative AI like ChatGPT, DALL-E and Writesonic, she is ensuring her students learn to use these tools as part of her innovation coursework. She also expects that her students will use Grammarly or other proofreading tools to support their professional writing鈥攁nd even enlisted the help of AI for this week鈥檚 Q&A.

We spoke with professor Griffith about her research.

You encourage organizations to 鈥淭hink in 5T.鈥� What are the 5Ts, and why are they important?

The 5 T鈥檚 are Talent, Technology and Technique, all aligned to hit your Targets and appropriate for the Times:

• Target: Goal;
• Talent: The knowledge, skills, abilities, and psychology (things that would be covered in a management or organizational psychology course) of your current and available people;
• Technology: The features and capabilities of all your available tools鈥攅verything from a shovel, to how a room is furnished, to artificial intelligence;
• Technique: Your workflows; and
• Times: The context鈥攖imes of our lives鈥攖hat set the stage for how these dimensions come together.

There is no single way to use your Ts鈥攏o one T is most important in all settings. What is critical is that you do not look for a silver bullet. A change in one will very likely require a change in others. You also should not be afraid to experiment to find your best mix.

AR and VR have so much untapped potential in applications outside of gaming and entertainment. Tell us about the advantages of using AR that you found in the study.

My biggest surprise was how AR brought people together. The expertise (talent) required to understand 2D plans is a barrier, and AR technology is a bridge across that barrier. AR allowed a more engaging technique as individuals did not have to, literally, go back to the drawing board to make changes. They could all see the changes at the same time. My co-author Dave Alpert also noticed that decision-making speed increased with the clarity brought by easier-to-understand plans. We were both impressed by the reduction in construction rework and the resulting financial and environmental gains.

Why do you think we have slowly adopted AR and VR into other areas?

Until recently, the headsets were too expensive and the software too complex. Now the creative team can easily put their technical documents into AR, which is great on a smartphone and spectacular with AR glasses. We will see this same dynamic across many other technologies鈥攁s costs come down, we will have more and more options.

You wrote a well-received piece on how you must integrate AI into your innovation course. What is your biggest concern as you take this step?

Anytime you rebuild a course, you risk upsetting the flow you鈥檝e developed over the years. I am in the same position as any other knowledge worker: My work must acknowledge and strive to benefit from these new technologies. I will start with the 5Ts, and my students and I must be flexible as the technologies and our understanding change throughout the term. As always, practicing is the best way to learn. Not everything we try will succeed, but I am sure we will benefit in the long run.

For more: Read in The Conversation Canada and visit professor Griffith鈥檚 blog at You can follow her on Twitter at .

The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, and the Negotiation and Team Resources Institute have supported this research.

丁香园AV scholars can reach out to their faculty communications and marketing team for support sharing their work as a news story or on social channels. They can become 丁香园AV media experts, pitch an article to The Conversation Canada, or nominate their work for a Scholarly Impact of the Week profile.