From the cart to the car: how Artificial Intelligence and Business Intelligence redefine human efficiency

Artificial intelligence and Business Intelligence tools were not created to replace humans, but to enhance their ability to produce results with greater efficiency and quality. Professor Lacier Dias, an entrepreneur, specialist in strategy, technology, and digital transformation, a doctoral candidate at Fundação Dom Cabral, and founder and CEO of B4Data, compares this movement to the civilizational leap from the wagon to the car: both serve the same transport function, but with radically different performance levels.

According to Lacier, AI follows the same logic. "Technology only makes sense when it improves people's lives. Just as the car didn't eliminate the need for a driver, but gave them speed and comfort, artificial intelligence and BI don't negate the human role, but elevate performance, allowing them to do more in less time." This is where AI becomes a productivity amplifier: it processes large volumes of data, organizes information, and delivers quick answers, allowing collaborators to focus their energy on what truly creates value.

However, Lacier reminds us that no algorithm replaces the human capacity for critical thinking, creativity, and ethical judgment. Emotions, intuition, and moral judgments are irreplaceable. AI acts as a catalyst, reorganizing workflows and reducing bottlenecks, but it needs well-structured and curated databases to function. "An AI without a repertoire doesn't perform magic. On the contrary, it can even hinder progress. But a well-fed AI becomes a true accelerator of results," he emphasizes.

The core message is clear: just as the transition from the horse-drawn cart to the car transformed how we live and work, AI and BI represent the natural evolution of modern corporate thinking. They don't diminish human agency, but ensure that, within the same timeframe, people can deliver more, with higher quality, and with superior strategic impact.