The recently released language artificial intelligence, ChatGPT, has stirred up a wave of media attention. Its advanced capabilities allow it to produce outputs that mirror human expression so closely that the difference becomes nearly invisible. Such groundbreaking progress promises to reshape the art of negotiation on every level—immediately, in the near future, and as we look further ahead.
Right from the start, AI takes charge of routine tasks like gathering and analyzing data. This shift frees negotiators to delve into the deeper aspects of their work, such as uncovering an opponent’s underlying motivations and interests. In addition, AI reveals recurring patterns from previous negotiations, offering valuable insights that can shape future strategies. It also provides new perspectives on how various negotiation tactics might influence outcomes. For this reason, organizations must begin keeping detailed records of past negotiations, ensuring that AI has a rich reservoir of data to draw upon.
Moving into the mid-term, AI ramps up its sophistication and tackles even more complex challenges. It not only predicts outcomes by tapping into historical data but also advises on the best moves in any given situation. This enhanced capability speeds up the challenging processes of analyzing opportunities and obstacles, as well as planning different scenarios. With the ability to deliver real-time feedback during a negotiation, AI suggests adjustments on the fly that could steer discussions toward more favorable outcomes.
Looking further into the future, AI will reach a level of advancement where it might oversee entire negotiations from start to finish. Such a transformation could result in quicker, more efficient discussions with a significantly reduced margin for human error. The negotiation process, as we know it today, stands on the brink of a major evolution.
In summary, AI will profoundly influence negotiations across all time frames. Automating everyday tasks and offering live, actionable insights, AI holds the potential to revolutionize the way we negotiate—whether in high-stakes business deals or everyday personal agreements.
Once AI assumes a leading role in negotiations, a provocative question arises: might we eventually reach a point where entering a few parameters into a system produces a complete, ready-to-sign agreement? Such a scenario carries a distinctly clinical flavor, challenging the notion of negotiation as a deeply human, nuanced art.
Adrien-Joseph Le Clef 
