I’ve irked more than a few people over the years sharing my views on innovation. Specifically, that if we could simply remove our “industry blinders” that prevent us from seeing the world untainted by our experiences and built-up perspectives, disruption shouldn’t occur—i.e., that all innovation builds on prior innovations. It doesn’t drop from out of nowhere, like a meteor. I never had a good way of explaining my thoughts of
The premise of this book is that data gleaned online from Google and less so, other sites such as Facebook and porn sites reveal new insights about our human behavior that have eluded traditional research and resulting data sets. Of course, this makes sense: in the privacy of our homes, we are free to search online for whatever we desire—free from the judging eyes of others. Without any social forces
Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies by Nick Bostrom My rating: 4 of 5 stars Superintelligence by Nick Bostrom reads a bit like a textbook. And unless you're already passionate about the topic, it requires patience and perseverance to get through it. While the content is complex, the structure is simple and straightforward, making Superintelligence easy to follow. I'm not an AI expert; I picked up this book to learn. And that's
The Fourth Industrial Revolution by Klaus Schwab My rating: 4 of 5 stars The technological revolution before us promises to bring change and disruption on a scale and scope never experienced before. Schwab outlines the drivers and impacts of the revolution on our economy, business, society and international landscape. Additionally, and perhaps my favorite part of the book, is the Appendix which includes a summary of the transformational shifts expected,
Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration by Ed Catmull My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is storytelling at its finest--straight from the heart, reflective, humble, and wise. Ed Catmull shares his journey toward his dream of creating the first animated picture at Pixar. Ed is incredibly introspective and thoughtful. Unlike many business manifestos, there are no slick sound bites here. The
The Industries of the Future by Alec J. Ross My rating: 5 of 5 stars I would rename this book "Industries of Today and Their Impact On Our Future." Ross is not a visionary and this is not a provocative futurist manifesto of "what's to come." Rather, it is an accessible overview of today's important technologies and industries that are shaping how we will work and live tomorrow--e.g., robotics, genetics,
