When should human judgment override AI recommendations?
Quick Answer: Use the 5-Question Framework: If ANY answer is "yes," rely on human judgment. Ask: Could this cause irreversible harm? Is essential context missing from the dataset? Would this break trust? Could this create unfair disparities? Would this set a precedent you'd regret?
- Direct Harm Test: Could this cause irreversible damage to livelihood, reputation, or wellbeing?
- Missing Context Test: Does essential information exist outside the dataset?
- Trust Damage Test: Would this break promises or undermine psychological safety?
- Equity Test: Could this create unjustified disparities through biased data?
- Precedent Test: If applied universally, would this reflect the organization you want?
AI flagged Sarah for declining productivity and tardiness. Human manager discovered her mother's dementia diagnosis through conversation, offered support instead of performance review. Result: retained talent, improved performance, employee felt valued. AI processes data; humans process lives.
Frequently Asked Questions
What percentage of customers switch brands after poor AI interactions?
70% of customers become open to brand switching after a single poor AI interaction, making human oversight of customer-facing decisions critical.
Does AI reduce human decision-making ability?
MIT neuroscience research found that ChatGPT users showed significantly reduced neural connectivity in decision-making regions, suggesting over-reliance weakens judgment.