Revolutionizing Operations: Invisible Technologies and the AI Edge Plain Sight

In this episode of the Plain Sight podcast, Sam Mata, the Director of Operations at Invisible Technologies, discusses the company's approach to solving complex business problems and the philosophy behind their operations. He describes how Invisible has evolved over the years, using AI to optimize operations and how this has affected the nature of their work. Sam talks about Invisible's role as an AI trainer, the potential of Augmented Intelligence and his insights into team management and coordination. He also describes how AI has affected the productivity within the company and how it's becoming an integral part of Invisible's services.
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Timestamps
00:00 Introduction to Invisible Technologies01:11 Understanding Operations at Invisible Technologies02:04 The Role of Technology in Operations02:14 Invisible's Approach to Operations03:23 Invisible's Unique Approach to Client Engagement04:32 Understanding the Client's Needs04:46 The Evolution of Invisible Technologies05:14 The Sales and Discovery Process at Invisible10:48 The Challenges of Knowledge Management21:48 The Role of AI in Invisible's Operations24:32 The Role of AI in Business Optimization24:54 The Intersection of AI and Business Operations25:42 Leveraging AI Tools for Business Efficiency26:38 Innovative Use of AI in Documentation27:44 Exploring AI's Potential in Automating Business Processes29:28 The Impact of AI on Business Flexibility30:02 The Concept of Human Augmentation in the AI Era32:36 The Future of AI and Human Augmentation33:31 The Role of AI in Job Creation and Productivity34:38 The Fear and Reality of AI36:33 The Impact of AI on Programming44:41 The Role of AI in Teamwork and Collaboration48:42 The Importance of Quality in AI Model Outputs50:20 Conclusion: The Future of AI in Invisible
Key Insights

Operations Innovations at Invisible: Invisible Technologies is not just about executing tasks for clients but embedding themselves into their clients' teams to deeply understand and enhance their operations. They aim to optimize processes to be better, faster, and cheaper, moving beyond traditional Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) models.


Custom Solutions and Use of AI: Invisible leverages technology, including AI, to provide custom solutions. The company has evolved from using human labor for tasks to developing technology-driven processes, making operations more efficient. Sam Mata highlighted specific use cases where AI and automation have played a crucial role in improving services, like automating the generation of printable agendas from Google Calendars and extracting product tags from descriptions.


Cultural Alignment and Continuous Learning: The conversation touched upon the importance of preserving individual creativity within a team while aligning towards common goals. Sam emphasized the need for continuous learning and adaptation, especially in the rapidly evolving field of AI and operations.


Augmentation vs. Replacement: Sam and the host discussed the concept of human augmentation through AI, focusing on how AI tools can empower individuals and teams to perform higher-level tasks by taking over more mundane or repetitive aspects of their work. The idea is to enhance human capabilities, not replace them.


Challenges of Knowledge Management: The discussion also ventured into the complexities of knowledge management, especially in large, fast-paced organizations like Invisible. They explored strategies for effective knowledge dissemination and documentation, including the use of AI to convert spoken conversations into structured documentation.


Visibility into Operations: Sam provided insights into how Invisible works closely with clients to deeply understand their processes and tailor their operations to meet specific client needs. This involves a proactive approach to understanding the nuances of each client's operations and co