Web/Tech

  • 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. 

     

    Q04t0id427v61

    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?

  • The Growth of U.S. Businesses Over the Last 5 Years …

    Over the past five years, U.S. businesses have grown a lot, thanks in large part to recent advances in exponential technologies. At first glance, it looks like a simple win: more companies, more jobs, better tech. But it’s worth a closer look. 
     
    It’s easy to get lost in how fast AI is growing. Being so close to it can lead to myopia. For a broader picture, VisualCapitalist put together an infographic on the growth of various industries over the last 5 years. 

     

    via visualcapitalist

    Business creation has grown almost 20% over the last five years, with small businesses generating about 60% of new jobs in America. However, a look at the data shows a small number of firms drive most of that growth. 

    According to J.P. Morgan, the information sector posted the strongest five‑year growth gains (+58%), followed by professional and business services (+32%) and education and health services (+25%).

    It’s not surprising that the information business grew fastest, given the catalyst that AI and automation offer, and the growing awareness that data is increasingly a valuable asset.

    AI today reminds me a lot of the Internet boom in the early 2000s. Back then, everyone focused on the technology, and it seemed like a separate tech domain. But now, almost every company relies on that technology as infrastructure, making it part of the playing field. I believe AI will become so widespread that, for most businesses, it will simply be part of the landscape.

    The story isn’t just about how fast technology moves; it’s about how we steer it.

    For example, AI and healthcare are a natural pair with transformative potential. By making diagnostic procedures faster, predicting patient outcomes, and customizing treatment plans, AI is poised to revolutionize how we treat or cure diseases and also how we improve longevity and regenerative medicine results. Interest and assets are sure to flow into that sector.

    However, no matter where you look, the growing capabilities and tech infrastructure have profound implications for growth and transformation.

    I’m curious which sectors you expect to grow fastest going forward?

    As always … Onwards!

  • BlackRock’s Meteoric Rise …

    I don’t usually write about individual companies, but an infographic highlighting BlackRock’s impressive growth caught my eye.

    BlackRock has been around since 1988. It wasn’t until the early 2000s that it really took off, but since then, they’ve clearly been doing something right. 

    Now, they are the world’s largest asset manager.

     

    📈 BlackRock’s Assets Under Management Soar to $12.5 Trillion in Q2 2025

    Voronoi via visualcapitalist

    In 2006, BlackRock acquired Merrill Lynch Investment Managers, nearly doubling its AUM, but its CAGR shows that it’s not just luck that has helped BlackRock achieve its current position. 

    In 2023, when I reviewed their equity holdings, they held approximately $9 trillion in assets. Now that has grown to more than $12 trillion. 

    While they aren’t as transparent as Berkshire Hathaway about what they do or how they do it, according to its website, BlackRock positions itself as a systematic investor that leverages vast datasets and new technologies.

    Comparing again to Berkshire Hathaway, both have invested heavily in Apple, which isn’t particularly surprising. 

    While I enjoy insights into other investors' playbooks, it’s not the be-all and end-all. It’s simply one way to invest … and might be a reasonable way to get from a lot of money to even more money – but their trading strategy isn’t necessarily going to work for the average investor (or you). 

    Still, when there is blood in the streets … asking, “What would Warren or Blackrock do?” might be a great place to start.

    However, it is challenging to maintain an edge if you use the same process and data as your competitors (especially when they have enough assets to use time or trade size to their advantage).

    As the flywheels of commerce spin faster, edges will emerge and decay faster than ever before. Finding a solution is only a step in an ongoing process.  

    Robust, reliable, and repeatable innovation at scale is a meaningful competitive advantage. That implies that idea factories will become as important (if not more so) than factories that produce material products. Likewise, innovation funnels will become more important than sales funnels. 

    The world changes at the speed of thought … and as technology continues to improve … even faster.

    Thankfully, we live in interesting times.

  • Which Industries Are Struggling To Find Good Workers?

    A few weeks ago, we discussed the changes in the job market since 1988, but the focus was primarily on the most common jobs. 

    Now, let’s take a look at which industries are struggling to find qualified candidates or to keep them. 

    As AI becomes more prevalent, it’s essential to consider several key factors when thinking about jobs and the future of work. 

    One thing to consider is whether an industry is ripe for disruption … or just replacement.  Another consideration is whether a role can be easily automated. 

    To start, try to understand which industries are currently seeking job candidates and have long-term stability. Here is a chart from VisualCapitalist showing global employers expecting challenges hiring talent. 

    Which industries struggle the most with hiring? Real estate, hospitality, and manufacturing top the list, according to a global employer survey.

    Voronoi via visualcapitalist

    Labor shortages are increasing globally, and yet many young adults are struggling to find careers.

    That’s an interesting contradiction: lots of jobs need people, but lots of young folks can’t find work.
     
    This is crucial because it shows there’s a mismatch — the jobs exist, but the skills, readiness, or interests aren’t aligned with what employers want. It’s not just about having jobs; it’s about having the right people for those jobs. Zooming out, this mismatch reveals a bigger gap in education, training, culture, and how we prepare people for work. Fixing this isn’t just about filling seats; it’s about building a workforce that can grow with the changing economy and replace the aging boomers as they begin to retire en masse.

    This chart helps us understand where skilled workers are needed and which industries may be struggling. 

    Real estate tops the list with 60% anticipating hiring difficulties in the near term. With high interest rates and market volatility, it does make sense. People tend to look for easy wins, and volatility scares both investors and employees alike.

    While we know that retail & fast food workers are still among the most common jobs, hospitality has been struggling. This could be caused by labor conditions and complaints about compensation. 

    Meanwhile, tech, healthcare, and telecom are the least affected by job insecurity. While these are saturated markets, they’re also growing markets with well-defined career paths and consistent demand. 

    People thrive when given autonomy, mastery, and purpose. Understanding motivation beyond money helps struggling industries rethink job design to attract and keep talent. And in the bigger picture, meaningful work fuels engagement and innovation, creating a cycle of growth and satisfaction.
     
    The struggle to find good workers is a canary in the coal mine—a warning that the world of work is shifting beneath our feet. It matters because work shapes economies and lives. Leaders who grasp not just the “what” but the layered “whys” have a chance to build a future workforce that’s resilient, motivated, and human-centered.
     
    In times like these, some people see the challenges … while others see the opportunity.
     
    Onwards!

  • Understanding the Shapes of Stories

    Seemingly complex things are often simpler when understood.

    This applies to many things.

    For example, great writing is diverse and nuanced … but its underlying structure often isn't.

    Kurt Vonnegut wrote several "Classics", including Cat's Cradle, Slaughterhouse-Five, and The Sirens of Titan.

    Despite his great writing and its complexities, he was able to simplify his stories into a few basic narrative shapes.

    Here is a graphic that explains the concept.

    201227 Kurt-Vonnegut-The-Shapes-of-Stories

    Here is a 17-minute video of Vonnegut discussing his theory of the Shape of Stories. You can grasp the basic concepts within the first 7 minutes, but he is witty, and the whole video is worth watching. 

     

    You can explore a bit more elaborate version of his "Shapes of Stories" idea in Vonnegut's rejected Master's thesis from the University of Chicago.

    Researchers recently extended Vonnegut's idea by using AI to extract the emotional trajectories of 1,327 stories and discover six core emotional arcs. In case you are curious, here they are.

    • Rags to riches (a rise)
    • Tragedy (a fall)
    • Man in a hole (fall, then a rise)
    • Icarus (rise, then a fall)
    • Cinderella (rise, then a fall, then a rise)
    • Oedipus (fall, then a rise, then a fall)

     For more on writing from Kurt Vonnegut:

    My friend, John Raymonds, also has a substack. He just released a great article on the power of storytelling. It dives deep into the nature of stories and narrative transportation. Check it out. 

    Have a nice week.