Web/Tech

  • Does A Larger Workforce Mean More Millionaires?

    Does the size of a country’s workforce determine its wealthiest citizens?

    Beyond Headcount—The Real Drivers of Wealth

    In a world shaped by rapid technological change and evolving labor dynamics, this post explores which nations lead in workforce size, where millionaires reside, and why capital concentration often defies population trends.

    Recent research by Visual Capitalist sheds light on both the world’s largest workforces and the distribution of wealth among its richest citizens.

    via visualcapitalist

    Unsurprisingly, Asia dominates the global workforce, with China and India accounting for over 1.3 billion workers.

    Although the U.S. trails far behind China and India in absolute workforce size, it maintains a strong position as the world’s third-largest labor force with 174 million workers.

    Africa’s workforce is rapidly expanding – with potential to double by 2050.

    Following the Wealth Flows

    As we know, workforce isn’t the only factor that influences where wealth flows. For example:

    • Global trade & resource distribution,
    • Financial & governmental policies,
    • Urbanization & tech Infrastructure,
    • And, access to opportunities

    Where Wealth Accumulates

    In 2025, we’ve surpassed 60 million millionaires worldwide.

    Together, this group holds over $226 trillion in wealth.

    via visualcapitalist

    America, China, and France top the list – holding over half the global total. If you were to imagine the list as 10 people, four would live in America, one would live in China, and the rest would be scattered across the globe.

    France, Germany, and the UK, are relatively small populations boasting outsized ratios of millionaires.

    Notably, almost 1/10 American adults are millionaires (Luxembourg and Switzerland top this ratio with 1/7). That surprises me.

    Also, while major cities like New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco remain millionaire hubs, Scottsdale, Arizona, actually boasts the fastest millionaire growth over the last decade.

    Ultimately, I think it’s clear that a large labor force doesn’t necessarily translate into a large population of millionaires. Countries like India and Indonesia rank among the biggest contributors to the global workforce, yet their per capita wealth remains modest. Meanwhile, nations such as the United States, Japan, and Germany — home to far smaller workforces — consistently dominate global millionaire rankings.

    Why Efficiency Beats Size

    Countries like the United States demonstrate how access to markets and capital, combined with robust innovation ecosystems, drive wealth far beyond population scale.

    The difference lies less in the number of workers and more in the structure of opportunity: productivity, access to capital, innovation, and financial markets create wealth far faster than population alone. In short, a big workforce builds economies — but efficient systems and upward mobility build millionaires.

    Economic opportunity grows when connections (between people, ideas, and markets) multiply — think of a telephone network: one phone is useless, but as more connect, the system’s value rises exponentially.

    Disruptive innovation often happens in small, focused markets before scaling. Early adoption, not just raw numbers, signals where outsized returns will come.

    As AI continues to shift productivity from in-person humans to digital agents, the very nature of value, employment, and opportunity will likely undergo a profound transformation. It will also change what we believe is possible.

    For example, I expect to see a one-person Unicorn as artificial agent technologies become more capable, scalable, and adaptive.

    Conclusion: Building Pathways to Prosperity

    In summary, a large labor force may grow economies, but upward mobility and innovation are the true engines of millionaire creation. For leaders aiming to foster national prosperity, the goal should be cultivating efficient, inclusive systems — not merely expanding the workforce.

    We live in interesting times!

  • A Brighter Tomorrow Through Medicine

    In writing these articles and newsletters, I often try to alternate between optimism, pragmatism, and an acknowledgement of where progress might still fall short.

    An Area of Boundless Optimism, Grounded In Progress

    Health and longevity and things almost every human strives for. As a result, medicine isn’t just a field — it’s a quest. With every breakthrough, we rewrite the boundaries of what’s possible. Today, optimism is more than wishful thinking … it’s anchored in real, measurable progress.

    The Steady Rise of Lifespan Worldwide

    Life expectancy has been on a steady global rise for a long time. Global life expectancy has risen by nearly 20 years since 1950. As of 2023, average life expectancy is estimated at 76.3 years for women and 71.5 for men, returning to pre-pandemic levels after COVID-related dips.

    Screenshot 2024-08-24 at 9.40.59 PM

    via worldometers

    Life expectancy depends on many factors. While genetics lay the foundation, access to healthcare, quality nutrition, reliable infrastructure, and income levels shape how long — and how well — people live. Here is an infographic showing expected lifespans across the globe.

    Life Expectency Around the World

    via VisualCapitalist.

    Meanwhile, global health continues to make progress. For example, age-standardized mortality rates have dropped by 66.6% worldwide from 1950–2023, even as the overall number of deaths rose due to population growth and aging.

    Breakthroughs in Medicine

    I am astounded by the pace of progress in diagnostics, imaging, treatments, cures, and now even regenerative medicine.

    Examples abound. When I was growing up, if an athlete had an ACL injury, it almost certainly meant their career was over. Today, even after three ACL repairs, my son continues to play rugby competively.

    In addition, my son’s ACL surgery scars are smaller than his knee, I remember when they had to slice you open, and peel your skin back just to perform that surgery. Even my mom’s knee replacement was easier, with less scarring, and less immuno-rejection that before.

    But that’s only the tip of the iceberg.

    You don‘t have to be an athlete to desire the ability to continue to do what you want to do for longer. Extending not just lifespan but healthspan — the years spent active and well — is medicine’s true measure of success.

    Emerging Technologies Are Changing What’s Possible

    Growing up, I remember when medicine first began using lasers, or when the world witnessed the first successful human heart transplant. I remember when antiretroviral therapy transformed HIV/AIDS from a death sentence into a manageable condition.

    Now, advancements like these are happening in years or months, not decades.

    For example, Gene therapy adoption is growing, and so is its impact. The number of patients treated with gene therapies in the U.S. is expected to grow from 16,000 in 2020 to about 95,000 in 2025. By the end of 2034, over 1 million patients may have been treated, with an average quality-adjusted life expectancy gain of 5.12 years per recipient.

    Even the rise of Semaglutide and Tirzepatide represents an amazing transformation in medicine science. They change appetite signaling and satiety, showing that pharmacology can now reliably alter the biology of hunger in ways researchers once thought impossible. And, while it’s great for weight loss, it’s also incredible for diabetes care.

    From gene therapy to early detection of Alzheimer’s, AI-enhanced cancer diagnostics, and even preliminary treatments (not just symptom management) for Huntington’s disease and AIDS — the world is changing for the better. And the effects are global. Thanks to rapid innovation, affordable treatments for conditions like malaria are reaching communities that were once out of reach.

    Forecasting The Road Ahead

    • Personalized medicine will be mainstream —treatments tailored to genetic profiles, lifestyles, and early diagnostics, reducing trial-and-error therapies.
    • AI-driven preventive care will spot risks and recommend actions before symptoms arise, changing “medicine” from reactive to proactive.
    • Expect radical decentralization — healthcare delivered everywhere, not just in clinics, with patient data guiding choices in real time.
    • It’s a ‘Journey’ not a ‘Destination’: Medicine is like a city’s traffic system—treating one bottleneck may shift or reveal another. Life expectancy gains require coordination (genetics, public health, tech, economy) to avoid congestion in vulnerable areas.
    • Longevity Risks: Like a pebble dropped into a pond, each breakthrough creates ripples of unexpected effects — longer lives mean new societal needs, workforce changes, and shifting cultural attitudes toward aging. Longer lives will bring promises and perils we’re only beginning to see.
    • Hype vs. Evidence: Not all breakthroughs deliver widespread impact; many promising treatments prove costly, ineffective, or even harmful at scale.

    Conclusion

    In a world obsessed with headlines about division and setbacks, medicine offers something different: hope grounded in evidence.

    We’re not only adding years to life but adding life to years—making more moments meaningful for more people, everywhere.

    The promise of a healthier future doesn’t come from wishful thinking. It comes from pragmatic optimism — acknowledging the challenges, investing in innovation, and daring to imagine what’s next.

    That’s a future worth working toward.

    Onwards!

  • The Rise of Stablecoins

    A few months ago, I wrote about how cryptocurrency was entering the mainstream.

    To recap that piece: I’ve historically been skeptical and resistant about crypto on several fronts. Still, I’ve recognized that blockchain and decentralized finance are here to stay.

    One of my biggest arguments against crypto is that governments have fiercely protected their right to print money and tax it. Now, even governments are warming up to crypto. Additionally, regulators are getting on board. Big banks and established industries are creating infrastructure. As the momentum builds, the push toward crypto seems unavoidable.

    New giants were — and are —forming. Coinbase recently joined the S&P 500. Circle just had a wildly successful IPO. The performance of stocks like these also hints at a growing market appetite for crypto-focused businesses.

    Some of this momentum has been fueled by policy shifts during the Trump presidency and his administration’s openness to the space. Yet even with that tailwind, I believe there are still significant barriers to the adoption of most cryptocurrencies—barriers that stablecoins, in particular, are designed to address.

    The Stablecoin Surge

    Since that article, tremendous growth continues. And if you haven’t paid attention to stablecoins yet, it’s time to start paying attention.

    What is a Stablecoin?

    Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies designed to maintain a stable value, typically pegged to a traditional currency like the US dollar (e.g., 1 stablecoin = $1 USD). Unlike Bitcoin or Ethereum, which can swing wildly in price, stablecoins aim for predictability.

    Think of stablecoins as the digital equivalent of cash — useful for transactions, storing value, and moving money across borders without the volatility of traditional cryptocurrencies.

    via visualcapitalist

    The stablecoin market has seen a 10X increase in just five years. In fact, their transfer volume is now more than both Visa and Mastercard.

    They’ve quickly grown from a niche asset to one of the fastest-growing market segments.

    Citi projects that the market will grow 6.7X to 14.2X in the next 5 years. Their justification is based on three main pillars.

    • the reallocation of US cash and deposits into digital tokens,
    • the substitution of international short-term liquidity tools with stablecoins,
    • and the growing role of stablecoins as the backbone of cryptocurrency adoption (in a growing ecosystem)

    It’s also worth noting that stablecoins have become a kind of “parking spot” for capital moving in and out of crypto trades. As smart contracts have enabled holders to earn yield by lending, providing liquidity, or farming rewards, stablecoins’ appeal has only grown.

    A Glimpse of Crypto’s Future

    It’s easy to imagine a future of money built on digital tokens. Stablecoins appear to be the first step toward that future.

    Just like everything else … it’s happening faster than you think.

    A few weeks ago, we took a look at the state of the US dollar.

    This week, visualcapitalist released a graphic looking the value of stablecoins in relation to US cash in circulation.

    via visualcapitalist

    Comparing the market value of stablecoins to the amount of U.S. currency in circulation (bills and coins) shows that stablecoins now make up about 11% of that total. That’s a remarkable jump in just five years.

    The industry keeps innovating, and stablecoins are increasingly becoming part of traditional finance. I expect this trend to grow faster soon.

    What’s your opinion on how quickly stablecoins might transform the monetary landscape?

  • Revisiting One of my Favorite Parables: “The Nail in the Fence”

    Have you ever said something in anger that you later regretted — only to find that your apology couldn’t erase the damage? In today’s high-pressure world, emotional wounds are more common than we realize.

    We are living in a period of heightened sensitivity to hurt feelings. Whether it’s politics, kids in school, or even in business … it’s clear that emotions and detection sensors are high.

    What do you think it means? Has something fundamental changed, or is it just the natural result of stress, and high expectations?

    Happy people tend to find reasons or ways to be happy. Frustrated people are good at finding the things that frustrate them. Meanwhile, people are naturally inclined to notice and avoid things that hurt them.

    Of course, a little conflict is normal (or even beneficial).  But, perhaps, the pendulum has swung too far?

    Let’s be clear, some people intend to hurt others. However, it doesn’t take “intent” to hurt someone’s feelings (or to have your feelings hurt).  Hurt feelings can arise from a simple disagreement, a fixed perspective, a careless remark, or even a look.

    Effective strategies can sometimes trigger conflict, too. Why? Because people generally prefer winning to losing. It reminds me of angry kids on a playground. As a result, minor outbursts are often dismissed or explained with excuses like, ‘I was angry,’ ‘I’m only human,’ or, ‘There’s no room for emotion in business.’ Nevertheless, it’s important to remember that we should strive to be better.

    Lessons From the Nail In The Fence Parable

    To drive the point home further, here is the story of “The Nail in a Fence.”  I share it every few years, but as we look to finish the year strong, and begin the new year even stronger, I think it’s worth revisiting.

    Nail In The Fence

    There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His Father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence.

    The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down.

    He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.

    Finally, the day came when the boy didn’t lose his temper at all. He told his father about it; and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.

    The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.

    The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, “You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won’t matter how many times you say I’m sorry, the wound is still there.”

    A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one.

    This story is a reminder to be mindful of cause and intent.  Hope it helps.

    How Technology Can Amplify (Not Replace) Our Humanity

    As a technology entrepreneur focused on amplified intelligence (which means making better decisions, taking smarter actions, and continually improving performance), I recognize that we’re not using technology to replace humans.  Instead, we’re automating activities that humans used to do – so that humans can focus on things more important and more in line with their unique abilities and tendencies.

    On the other hand, one of the main reasons for automation is to avoid certain tendencies that are baked into human nature – like these little outbursts.  I say that because, as much as the world has changed in the last several thousand years, human nature has remained stubbornly the same. 

    Making Best Practice Common Practice

    It’s hard enough to change yourself … so, it’s unrealistic to expect to radically change others.  Instead, if you want to increase the likelihood of certain actions, it makes sense to rely on technologies that are simple, reputable, consistent, and scalable to make your best intentions and best practices more common.  This is why I say that amplified intelligence has an automatic advantage … because it eliminates the fear, greed, and discretionary mistakes that humans naturally bring to a process.

    The Power (And Limits) of Forgiveness

    Inflicting pain on others is harmful — but holding on to anger can be just as damaging to ourselves.

    Feeling and stoking anger is like taking poison and hoping the other person suffers.  It isn’t efficient or practical.

    So, what about “Forgiving”? It doesn’t have to be synonymous with forgetting.

    Forgiving removes the valence (or charge) from a situation or memory. It serves you even more than it serves the person you’re forgiving.

    It only takes a moment to create an emotional trigger (think about how you felt when you saw a high school bully in the hallway).  It is simple, evolution and natural selection favored species that remembered and avoided danger.  It is in our DNA.  But avoidance isn’t always a great strategy … especially when it is blocking the attainment of something beneficial.

    Forgiveness is a way to disable or mute the emotional trigger (this is called “collapsing an anchor” in NLP). It’s also a choice to move forward.

    Forgiveness is also a release of “claim”.  When we are wronged, we expect an apology, retribution, restitution, or recognition.  And until we get it, we are stuck, waiting for it.  In a sense, forgiveness releases the stuck energy and makes it available for something else (hopefully, something better).

    Forgiveness changes the route and allows you to move forward.

    And I’ve found that good things happen more often when you are in motion.

    As you look ahead, ask yourself:Who or what do you need to forgive?

    Onwards!

  • The Current State of AI Chatbots

    Chatbots have come a long way from the quirky digital curiosities of the early 2000s (like AOL Instant Messenger’s SmarterChild) to the sophisticated AI chatbots and agents we see today. They’ve become essential tools in both business and daily life.

    These tools are having an increasingly global impact, answering customer service questions on retail sites, guiding patients through scheduling in healthcare, providing instant support in banking and insurance, and even acting as digital concierges for travel and hospitality. Inside companies, they streamline HR requests, provide IT troubleshooting, and deliver training. Beyond business, they power personal assistants on our phones, manage smart home devices, and help people learn new skills and appear more caring to those they care about. This widespread adoption reflects how quickly these tools have become part of our daily lives. 

    Chatbots have transformed how we interact with digital services, but their uptake varies significantly around the globe. What do current usage trends say about the future of this rapidly evolving technology? A recent chart from Visual Capitalist sheds light on “The 10 Most-Used AI Chatbots in 2025,” showcasing the swift adoption and dominance of major platforms.

    via visualcapitalist

    ChatGPT now averages over 5 billion monthly visits and accounts for nearly half of global chatbot traffic. 

    DeepSeek, Gemini, Peplexity, and Claudefollow relatively closely behind. 

    While Poe has experienced a significant decline in usage, Xai’s Grok, Meta, and Mistral are gaining steam. 

    It’s also interesting to look at which countries are adopting the technologies, and which ones remain the most resistant. This chart shows “How Often People Use ChatGPT.”

    via visualcapitalist

    Today, in the US, fewer than 20% of citizens report using chatbots daily. Meanwhile, India, Pakistan, and Kenya all poll at over 25%. 

    At the lower end of the spectrum, countries like Chile, Argentina, Germany, Italy, and Australia all report daily chatbot use by fewer than 10% of the population. Japan has the lowest rate, with just 6% of people saying they use chatbots daily, and a notable 42% saying they hardly ever interact with the technology. These differences are probably due to factors such as cultural attitudes toward technology and how people report their own habits.

    In contrast, “weekly usage” rates are notably more consistent across different countries, suggesting broader but less frequent interaction. 

    Just as search engines, social networks, and smartphones each converged on a few dominant players, the chatbot landscape is likely to consolidate, offering a clearer and more streamlined experience for users. 

    As chatbots advance, their impact will depend not just on technological advancements, but also on how well they build trust, integrate seamlessly, and adjust to different cultural norms. The question still stands: which platform will become the go-to digital companion?

    Let’s turn this into a conversation. I’m curious about your favorite AI platforms and reasons why.

  • Time To Switch Blog Platforms … The End of Typepad

    I knew this day would come, eventually. 

    Back in 2008, the big decision for anyone starting a blog usually came down to three platforms: Blogger, WordPress, or Typepad. Each had its strengths—Blogger was free and straightforward, WordPress was flexible but required a bit more knowledge and effort to use well, and Typepad promised quick polish and professional tools for a reasonable price. At the time, choosing Typepad felt like betting on the premium option. But here we are 17 years later, and the landscape looks very different. WordPress has not only endured but become the backbone of the modern web, while Blogger has faded into a relic of Google’s forgotten experiments, and Typepad is little more than a time capsule.

    Photo of my Typepad Profile Page; taken the day Typepad shutdown (9/30/25) | Profile Page Created in 2008

    Looking back, it’s a little ironic. The platform I avoided because it was too complex and open-ended is the one that grew, evolved, and ultimately dominated. WordPress didn’t just survive — it became the standard. Meanwhile, almost 3000 posts later, I got a message last week that Typepad is shutting down at the end of the month. In the meantime, they’re clearly struggling to keep the lights on … and attempting to publish posts has become an exercise in futility. 

    So, bear with us as we make the transition to a new blogging platform. If you have any tips or expertise in maintaining SEO & images as we do, please reach out. 

    Now I’m forced to make this decision again — this time with more and better options. 

    Do I follow the crowd to Substack or Medium? Choose a design-first solution like Wix or Squarespace? Try something newer like Ghost? Or go with the safer, proven route: WordPress?

    Substack tempts part of me because many of my friends and favorite bloggers use it. The pragmatic side of me leans toward WordPress. 

    In a real sense, this mirrors the choice Capitalogix (or any business) has in its approach to emerging technologies. I love experimenting with the new, but the real edge comes from recognizing what endures. Timeless wisdom matters more than chasing the next shiny thing, especially if it’s distracting you from your ‘why’. 

    Blogging is a fun project for me. It’s a natural result of the research I do. It’s an outlet, and a way for me to share ideas. It’s not my business, and I’m not trying to be a market-leader in the space. So, playing it safe makes sense. 

    We’ll see how it plays out in another 17 years. 

    Weigh in and let me know what platform you recommend.

    Onwards.

  • Foreign Direct Investments

    Against a backdrop of economic uncertainty, supply chain upheaval, and rapid technological transformation, foreign direct investment remains a bellwether of global confidence and strategic priorities.

    Looking back to 2024, the patterns of FDI offer a window into what the world’s investors value most—and what new risks and opportunities are on the horizon.

    In a rapidly shifting global landscape, investors are constantly on the hunt for both opportunity and resilience. Which sectors and regions captured the lion’s share of foreign direct investment in 2024—and what fueled these evolving priorities?

    The Global State of FDI in 2024

    Visual Capitalist created an infographic that shows Foreign Investors allocated more than $1 trillion across the top 10 global sectors in 2024, highlighting the scope and realignment of worldwide capital movements.

     

    This infographic visualizes the top 10 sectors for foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2024, based on global data for over 17,000 FDI projects.

    via visualcapitalist

    Sector Standouts: Winners and Surprises

    Now let’s zoom into specific industries.

    Renewable energy topped the list, drawing $270.1 billion in FDI. Even so, renewable energy FDI declined — mainly due to rising material costs, tougher regulations, and delayed projects. Despite these setbacks, long-term prospects in renewables are robust.

    Perhaps the most surprising winner of 2024, the communications sector not only rebounded but grew by an astonishing 84%, far outpacing previous years. This likely reflects accelerated 5G rollouts and infrastructure expansions in both developed and emerging markets.

    Semiconductors followed closely, likely reflecting the growing infrastructure requirements of global reliance on AI.

    Notably, FDI in real estate increased despite a critical labor shortage, sparking questions about how investment is responding to workforce constraints.

    Meanwhile, traditional manufacturing showed minimal growth, as investors appear wary of ongoing supply chain disruptions and increasing automation across the industry.

    Regional Focus: Asia’s Rise & India’s Transformation

    Regionally, the FDI tide was far from even. Asia emerged as the dominant destination for FDI. While India, alone, attracted investment across more than 1,000 distinct projects, driven by robust economic reforms and a burgeoning market.

    What’s Next? 

    FDI patterns are not static reflections but dynamic forecasts of the next big global moves. Consequently, geopolitics and regulatory shifts impact FDI as well.

    As global investment patterns continue to evolve, the next wave of foreign direct investment will likely redefine which strategies (and which regions) lead. Will emerging trends hold, or will new surprises shift the map again next year?”

    Where would you bet global capital will go next?

  • The History of Technology …

    We are living through the fastest period of technological change in history — a fact that demands not just awareness, but active engagement. Here’s how to recognize this shift, and what you can do to succeed in it.

    Our ancestors survived by thinking locally and linearly. Yet today, this mindset often leaves us struggling to anticipate the sweeping, unpredictable effects of technology.

    To predict the future of technology, you must understand where we are and where we are headed … but it also helps to recognize how far we’ve come—and how quickly things are now accelerating.

    A Timeline of Human Innovation – From Stone Tools to AI

    Our World In Data put together a great chart that shows the entire history of humanity in relation to innovation. It shows how fast we are moving by telling the story with milestones.

     Longterm-timeline-of-technology

    Max Roser via ourworldindata

    Innovation isn’t only driven by scientists. It’s driven by people like you or me having a vision and making it into a reality. 

    To see just how far we’ve come — and how quickly things now change — let’s look at some milestones.

    3.4 million years ago, our ancestors supposedly started using tools. 2.4 million years later, they harnessed fire. Forty-three thousand years ago (almost a million years later), we developed the first instrument, a flute. 

    Why Speed Matters

    The innovations we just discussed happened over an astonishing expanse of time. Compare that to this: In 1903, the Wright Brothers first took flight … and just 66 years later, we were on the moon. That’s less than a blink in the history of humankind, and yet our knowledge, technologies, and capabilities are expanding exponentially. 

    Acceleration Is The New Normal

    Technology was like a snowball gathering speed, but it’s become an avalanche—hurtling forward, accelerated by AI. Here are some fun facts to back that up.

    • ChatGPT’s Explosive Growth: In 2025, OpenAI’s ChatGPT will hit 700 million weekly active users—a fourfold increase over the previous year. In its first year, ChatGPT reached 100 million monthly active users in just two months, a milestone that took Instagram 2.5 years.

     

    Yesterday’s stable footing guarantees nothing; you must constantly adjust or get swept away.

    While AI dominates headlines, the same story of acceleration is unfolding in fields like biotechnology, climate tech, and robotics. It’s happening everywhere all at once. From nanotechnologies to longevity and age reversal, and from construction to space exploration … exponential change is becoming a constant.

    Turning Information into Actions – What To Do Now

    Though I lead an AI company, I’m not an engineer or a data scientist — I am a strategist. My role is to envision bigger futures, communicate them clearly, and leverage tools that free me to create greater value. Ultimately, that’s going to become everybody’s job.

    I don’t believe that AI will replace people like us quickly, but common sense tells us that people who use AI more effectively might replace us faster than we’d like.

    Start by experimenting with new AI tools. When was the last time you tried a new tool or technology? Even though our company works on AI every day, I’ve challenged myself to continually expand my ability to use AI to create the things I want.

    You’ll probably find that the things you want most are just outside your current comfort zone — or you’d already have them.

    The next level of impact and value lies just beyond your current habits—comfort is the enemy of reinvention.

    A good start is to think about what routine task you could automate next week.

    Leaders must move from certainty-seeking to rapid experimentation. Encourage nimble, high-frequency experimentation with emerging tech.

    Focus on skillsets that complement, not compete with, automation. And vice versa, focus on automation that complements (rather than competes with) unique abilities.

    Share your learnings with your team or community. Set the expectation of progress, and make regular sharing and reporting part of your process. Reward the sharing of learnings over the accumulation of dead knowledge.

    Prepare teams not only technologically, but culturally and psychologically, for relentless reinvention.

    Brene Brown, a noted leadership expert, says, “Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity, and change.”

    Don’t let perfectionism hold you back. You don’t need to know every destination before boarding the train; what matters is that you get on. Waiting too long is no longer safe—the train is leaving, and the cost of inaction is climbing.

    Success now means hopping on and adapting while in motion—not waiting for all the answers.

    Onwards!

  • Can Humans Predict The Future?

    New technologies fascinate me … As we approach the Singularity, I guess that is becoming human nature. 

    Ray Kurzweil (who is a well-respected futurist, inventor, and entrepreneur) optimistically predicts accelerating returns and exponential progress, where the technological advancements experienced in the 21st century will be vastly more significant and disruptive than those in previous centuries. Kurzeil believes: “The next century won’t feel like 100 years of progress—it will feel like 20,000."

    However, there is a tension between our ability to imagine grand futures and our struggle to execute the how—the messy, uncertain work of getting there.

    Nassim Nicholas Taleb (a noted expert on randomness, probability, complexity, and uncertainty) reminds us that, “We often overestimate what we know and underestimate uncertainty.” There is a risk that “continuous forward motion” sometimes leads to dead ends and that speed without thoughtful direction can be dangerous. This is true in part because technology adoption is often more about human nature than the absolute value of technology. 

    This post is about embracing the paradox of accepting both the value of vision and the discipline of small, progressive steps.

    Dreaming vs. Doing

    Recognize that the future is co-authored by dreamers and doers.

    To get us started, here is a video, put together by Second Thought, that looks at various predictions from the early 1900s. It is a fun watch – Check it out. 

     

    via Second Thought

    The Fascination With and Challenges of Prediction

    It’s interesting to look at what they strategically got right compared to what was tactically different. 

    In a 1966 interview, Marshall McLuhan discussed the future of information with ideas that now resonate with AI technologies. He envisioned personalized information, where people request specific knowledge and receive tailored content. This concept has become a reality through AI-powered chatbots like ChatGPT, which can provide customized information based on user inputs.

    Although McLuhan was against innovation, he recognized the need to understand emerging trends to maintain control and know when to “turn off the button.” 

    Prophecy vs. Navigation

    While we revere “prophetic” moments, most successful outcomes arise from continuous adjustment—not perfect foresight.

    Peter Drucker famously said, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”

    I’ll say it a different way … It’s more useful to view innovation as navigation, rather than prophecy.

    Like evolution, Success isn’t about strength or certainty—it’s about the ability to adapt quickly and course-correct as conditions change. This mindset urges leaders to embrace agile, resilient strategies that can respond rapidly to emerging opportunities and threats.

    With that said, activity is not progress if it doesn’t lead you in the right direction. There are times when continuous course-correction can lead a team in circles. Pausing for periodic reflection and creating feedback loops helps prevent innovation drift. 

    While not all predictions are made equal, we seem to have a better idea of what we want than how to accomplish it. 

    The farther the horizon, the more guesswork is involved. Compared to the prior video on predictions from the mid-1900s, this video on the internet from 1995 seems downright prophetic. 

     

    via YouTube

    The Distinction Between Envisioning Outcomes and Creating Practical Paths to Them.

    There’s a lesson there. It’s hard to predict the future, but that doesn’t mean you can’t skate to where the puck is moving. Future success goes to those who can quickly sense shifts, reorient, make decisions, and take action.

    Even if the path ahead is unsure, it’s relatively easy to pick your next step, and then the next step. As long as you are moving in the right direction and keep taking steps without stopping, the result is inevitable. 

    In Uncharted Territory, It’s Better to Use a Compass Than a Map

    The distant future may be fuzzy, but it’s our willingness to keep moving—and keep learning—that tips the odds in our favor.

    Reflect on the value of looking ahead, not for certainty but for direction.

    Don’t worry if you can’t see your intended destination. Just focus on your next step and trust the journey.

    Remember, there is always a best next step.

    Onwards!

  • The Most Common Words In Each Religion …

    The World seems very “Us” versus “Them”…  But are we really that different?

    The six largest religions in the world are Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism. 

    If you stripped away doctrine, what patterns might emerge in the world’s great sacred texts?

    Similarity in Diversity.

    We often think about the differences between religions. However, a deep review of their sacred texts shows striking similarities (and may be indications of a more integral “truth”).

    Below is a word cloud for each of those religions based on their primary religious text. A word cloud is a visual map of language where the size and boldness of a word reflect its frequency in the text. In this case, the image spotlights the most frequent words across different religious texts (e.g., Jewish Bible, Christian New Testament, Quran, Hindu Vedas, Buddhist Tripitaka, Sikh Guru Granth Sahib).

    Each panel highlights high-frequency terms like Lord, God, man, people, Israel, Indra, Agni, Allah, fortunate, Guru, etc., with the most frequently used words appearing larger and bolder. A visualization, like this, makes it easy to identify the recurring themes or focal points of each tradition.

    So, here is a closer look at what a word cloud of the world’s religions reveals if we strip away doctrine and focus only on frequency. 

     

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    teddyterminal via Reddit

    On one level, this post explores both the similarities and limits of religious texts via word clouds.

    As historian Yuval Harari notes, “Humans think in terms of stories, not statistics.” Those word clouds are the beginnings of narratives that go beyond the numbers. For example, shared words don’t mean shared values. The word ‘love’ in one tradition may imply obedience, while in another it means self-transcendence.

    The Power and Pitfalls of Translation

    Likewise, translating sacred texts into English makes them more accessible, but can distort meaning and nuance. As an illustration, if you noticed the name “Keith” at the bottom of the Hinduism word cloud, it’s because that was the translator’s name. You might also have seen the word “car” in the Hinduism cloud, that is not an anachronism or prophecy… it is just another old-fashioned word for “chariot”.

    It’s also worth acknowledging that this word cloud is from the English translations, so some words that may mean slightly different things in other languages can be all translated to one word in English. For example, it’s very common in Biblical Hebrew to see different words translated into the same English word. Examples include Khata, Avon, and Pesha – three different “ways of committing a wrong” that may all be translated to the same English word.

    Distortions like these occur across many texts and cultures. In other words, similarities in word usage do not always reflect shared values. Recognizing this helps us navigate between the boundaries of certainty and uncertainty.

    This brings to mind an ancient parable …

    The Parable of Perspectives – Lessons from the Elephant

    I’ve always loved the parable of the blind men and the elephant. While there are many versions, here’s broadly how it goes:

    A group of blind men heard that a strange animal, called an elephant, had been brought to the town, but none of them were aware of its shape and form. Out of curiosity, they said: "We must inspect and know it by touch, of which we are capable". So, they sought it out, and when they found it they groped about it. The first person, whose hand landed on the trunk, said, "This being is like a thick snake". For another one whose hand reached its ear, it seemed like a kind of fan. As for another person, whose hand was upon its leg, said, the elephant is a pillar like a tree-trunk. The blind man who placed his hand upon its side said the elephant, "is a wall". Another who felt its tail, described it as a rope. The last felt its tusk, stating the elephant is that which is hard, smooth and like a spear. 

    This parable highlights that even when everyone is “blind” to the whole truth, each perspective still holds real insight. Recognizing that partial views are still valuable can drive innovative, integrative thinking.

    The blind men and the elephant parable also reminds us of the limitations of individual perspectives and the value of integrating multiple viewpoints. Interestingly, that integration is one of the things large language models are best at … and helping humans access a perspective of perspectives might be a step towards enlightenment.

    Future societies may see it as obvious that synthesizing perspectives (religious, cultural, strategic) can be done by advanced AI at scale, transforming how we resolve complex disputes.

    Hope that helps.

    Oh, and as a thought experiment … What would the word cloud of your own guiding beliefs look like?