Chapter 1: The Challenge of Locating True Innovation

It may seem odd, but it feels increasingly challenging to pinpoint genuine innovation these days. For instance, in digital marketing, I don’t position myself as a marketing guru, yet I find my thoughts resonate with those of John Battelle, especially when he addressed the question: Has Innovation Died in Marketing?

John articulated that the past 15 years in marketing haven’t been characterized by customer engagement, and when it comes to fostering innovation in news, the silence has been deafening. Budgets for innovation have nearly vanished; a senior media buyer overseeing billions in annual advertising expenditures recently revealed they hadn't allocated funds for media experimentation in almost a decade.

A significant portion of marketing dollars is funneled into uninspired strategies: simply directing budgets towards Google, Amazon, or Facebook and congratulating oneself for fulfilling job responsibilities. This mindset echoes the old adage that nobody was ever dismissed for choosing IBM (and later, Microsoft).

While it’s not accurate to say innovation has stalled, it’s evident that we’re employing new technologies in novel ways—such as using robots to peel bananas, which reportedly works about 57% of the time (perhaps not the most thrilling example of innovation). My point is that although our capabilities are expanding, the ultimate applications of these technologies often lack thorough consideration.

Investing in innovation for its own sake can become costly, as illustrated by IBM, which is divesting its Watson Health assets for $1 billion after spending $4 billion on acquisitions to support the initiative.

To illustrate, let's look at some well-known corporations that claim to be pursuing innovation but stumble when their technology operates exactly as intended. It seems that those who develop technology ought to prioritize strategy before diving into creation.

Surprisingly, recent news revealed that Google, a company heavily reliant on machine learning algorithms, is dissatisfied with AI developments. Specifically, the search division has expressed concerns about websites featuring content generated by machines.

Consider this: Google is the same company that created AlphaGo, recognized as the first computer program to defeat a professional human Go player, ultimately becoming the strongest Go player in history. Now, Google is grappling with the implications of others utilizing similar technology against it. This situation evokes a sense of irony, as it suggests, "We can create systems superior to humans, yet we still require human insight."

Meanwhile, Salesforce’s research team is developing a system enabling developers to generate code through vocal commands. Here’s a glimpse of how the interaction might unfold:

Human: “I would like to create a red button.”

Machine: “Where would you like it positioned?”

Human: “In the center.”

Machine: “What should happen when the button is pressed?”

Human: “Calculate the average Bitcoin price over the past 10 days.”

Machine: “Mean, median, or mode?”

Human: “Mean. Please display the code.”

Machine: <displays generated code>

Human: “In line <X>, I meant to <provide a correction or new direction>… could you adjust this accordingly?” (Do I genuinely need to keep saying ‘please’?)

Machine:

In just a few sentences, you can convey your intentions. However, prepare for a lengthy debate with the computer about your actual meaning (this may not be as straightforward as making a warm cup of tea).

In certain areas of innovation, I find it somewhat comforting that a lack of strategic foresight may hinder a project. While we’re on the subject of AI, here’s a new buzzword that falls under the Orwellian category—One Person, One File. This reflects the latest requirement from governments regarding surveillance.

With numerous data sources—cameras, voice recordings, social media, SMS texts, and emails—how can we accurately attribute all this information to the correct individual and build a comprehensive profile with the appropriate social score? That’s the challenge.

Having extensive experience with CRM systems designed to maintain customer information, I can confidently say that this task is virtually impossible. CRM systems have existed for decades, yet no one has mastered the art of data cleansing. Undertaking this on a large scale involving a billion individuals? Good luck.

Returning to the essence of exciting innovation: it’s not about replacing humans but rather assisting us in achieving our goals. I’m referring to augmented intelligence, not artificial intelligence.

Humans think; machines execute. When we attempt to reverse this dynamic, innovation often falters, and it tends to be an expensive misstep.

Chapter 2: Insights from the Innovation Landscape

In the first video titled "Where's Waldo? - Remarkable TV," we delve into the complexities of finding true innovation in a crowded digital landscape.

The second video, "Embrace the Search! What Where's Waldo Can Teach Us About Marketing," offers valuable lessons on the marketing strategies that can help uncover hidden opportunities for innovation.