No. 4: Innovation Never Sleeps
The future is here, the shrimp in our cereal is just not very evenly distributed
A few lessons in innovation ripped from this week’s headlines:
The biggest risk is not taking any risk... In a world that is changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks.
– Mark Zuckerberg
People said drifting through the Suez Canal couldn’t be done. Maybe they were right1, but you just have to stay focused and keep shipping.
We always overestimate the change that will occur in the next two years and underestimate the change that will occur in the next ten. Don't let yourself be lulled into inaction.
– Bill Gates
For years we’ve all dreamt of breakfast cereal with shellfish. This week General Mills unleashed their prototype on one unsuspecting consumer2.
"Persistence is very important. You should not give up unless you are forced to give up."
– Elon Musk
The Simpsons has already passed the 700 episode mark over 30+ seasons. Now, thanks to A.I. and deepfakes, Homer will outlive us all3.
"Careers are a jungle gym, not a ladder."
– Sheryl Sandberg
A mentor once taught me that “if you can’t explain it simply, you probably don’t understand it.” That lesson came to mind as I watched artist/creative director Babak Radboy try to answer the question “What is money?” for a group of preschoolers.
“I believe you have to be willing to be misunderstood if you’re going to innovate.“
– Jeff Bezos
Janelle Shane is a research scientist in Colorado who makes computer-controlled holograms for studying the brain. In her spare time, she experiments with computer programs that try to invent human things like recipes, paint colors, cat names, and candy heart messages.
Her latest work produced A.I.-generated pickup lines, including these gems:
“You look like Jesus if he were a butler in a Russian mansion.”
“Your eyes are like two rainbows and a rainbow of eyes. I can't help but stare.”
"Have you stolen anything today?"
“I can tell by your red power light that you're into me.”
“Can I see your parts list?”
Life is about perspective and how you look at something... ultimately, you have to zoom out.
– Whitney Wolfe Herd
Scientists have tried to get through to us about the perils of climate change for decades. This week, Dr. Shanna Swan (with help from the real-life Erin Brockovich) may have finally found a message that will resonate with a significant percentage of the population4.
And the mistake is costing the global economy $400 million for each hour that the giant Even Given remains lodged and blocking the Suez Canal.
Woo-boy, this became a whole saga:
On the fun side of things, once the shrimp was out of the bag, the internet did its thing, creating everything from actual recipes to product art:
Meanwhile, as Karp’s profile elevated as a byproduct of the story, an alleged history of bad behavior emerged and turned him into the internet’s latest Milkshake Duck.
By his side a deepfaked Leo Messi, feeding him salty snacks.
I would like to note my restraint with the hero image. Here’s a quick sampling of the images used by much more “reputable” publications than this one:
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