Parable of the Self-Driving Lorry Without a Mapmaker

In the bustling company of MedInnovate, the leadership decided to embrace the power of AI to streamline their journey of bringing new medicines to the people. They invested heavily in self-driving AI “lorries” for every department – an AI lorry for R&D to discover drugs, an AI lorry for manufacturing to optimise production, and an AI lorry for sales to reach customers. 

Excited by the promise of autonomous progress, the leaders sat back, expecting the lorries to navigate the complex terrain of pharmaceutical development on their own. Each lorry diligently followed its own internal programming, optimising its specific tasks with remarkable efficiency. The R&D lorry zipped through data analysis, the manufacturing lorry hummed with perfect precision, and the sales lorry tirelessly delivered its messages. 

However, a strange thing happened. The R&D lorry discovered amazing new compounds that the manufacturing lorry couldn’t produce at scale. The manufacturing lorry churned out perfect pills that the sales lorry didn’t know how to position to the market effectively. And none of the lorries seemed to know how to navigate the ever-changing regulatory landscape. 

Eventually, the company’s wise strategist pointed out, “You have marvellous self-driving lorries, but you forgot the mapmakers! Each lorry is excellent on its own, but without a clear, holistic strategy and well-designed routes that coordinate their journeys, they are all heading in slightly different directions, leading to confusion and wasted effort.” 

Reflection for Leaders: Are you implementing AI in silos across your organisation, or do you have a comprehensive strategy that aligns AI initiatives with your overall business objectives and ensures seamless collaboration between AI-powered functions? We like to use the metaphor of an orchestra, where people and AI collaborate to create a symphony of value. A well-defined AI vision and integrated approach are crucial for maximising value. 

Join us for the “Back to the Future – Learning from the Past and Exploring the Future of Organisation” webinar on 17th June from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM. We’ll delve into the fascinating history and future of organisational design, exploring how innovative companies like GE Aviation facility and GitHub are experimenting with alternative forms of organisation. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from the past and prepare for the future. Register now and be part of this insightful event!