An alliance of humans and machines for machine learning: Hybrid intelligent systems and their design principles

Abstract

With the growing number of applications of artificial intelligence such as autonomous cars or smart industrial equipment, the inaccuracy of utilized machine learning algorithms could lead to catastrophic outcomes. Human-in-the-loop computing combines human and machine intelligence resulting in a hybrid intelligence of complementary strengths. Whereas machines are unbeatable in logic and computation speed, humans are contributing with their creative and dynamic minds. Hybrid intelligent systems are necessary to achieve high accuracy and reliability of machine learning algorithms. In a design science research project with a Swedish manufacturing company, this paper presents an application of human-in-the-loop computing to make operational processes more efficient. While conceptualizing a Smart Power Distribution for electric industrial equipment, this research presents a set of principles to design machine-learning algorithms for hybrid intelligence. From being AI-ready as an organization to clearly focusing on the customer benefits of a hybrid intelligent system, designers need to build and strengthen the trust in the human-AI relationship to make future applications successful and reliable. With the growing trends of technological advancements and incorporation of artificial intelligence in more and more applications, the alliance of humans and machines have become even more crucial.