Austin Next Newsletter #24
What is decentralized science and what will be its impact on research and innovation? Joined by experts from Arcadia Science , VitaDAO , and the Foresight Institute , we discuss the challenges posed by traditional scientific models and the rise of alternative approaches.
From new funding mechanisms to the transformative potential of AI, we explore the evolving landscape of research and the promise it holds for the future.
??Episode Highlights??
??Driven by a quest for faster breakthroughs, collaboration, and democratization, decentralized science is on the rise. It's a counter to traditional models—like tenure and strict lab hierarchies—that restrict autonomy and potentially dampen innovation.
??Are scientific advancements speeding up or stagnating? The insights reveal that there is no simple answer as there are questions about how we measure innovation itself.
??Through a diversity of new funding mechanisms through prizes, fellowships, or grants, there's a strong push to support bold projects that might be overlooked by traditional institutions.
??Arcadia Science merges open science with for-profit models to accelerate research and ensure swift dissemination of discoveries.
??VitaDAO harnesses blockchain for scientific governance, creating an inclusive and permissionless platform for collaborative research funding and exploration.
??Foresight champions frontier technologies, such as nanotechnology, fostering collaborations and offering diverse enabling platforms suited to each field's unique needs.
What’s Next?
You can find the episode on?Spotify,?Apple, our?website,?or any of your other favorite podcast platforms!
??Additional Thoughts
Here's the thing—I don't know a line of code. However, I recently found myself diagnosing errors and rewriting HTML to enhance my website, thanks to ChatGPT.
I was trying to add new third-party badges to the site when I encountered two issues: 1) the images for the badges were broken, and 2) the layout didn't align with my vision.
Tech support was working on it and all I thought I could do was wait. I've always known about AI's role as a coding co-pilot but never had a reason to explore it—until now. I dropped the existing HTML code into ChatGPT and asked for a layout rearrangement. In less than a minute, ChatGPT provided new code. I implemented it, and boom, the badges appeared exactly as I wanted them.
I then wondered if ChatGPT could resolve the image issue. It diagnosed the problem in seconds, and after I shared its findings with tech support, the issue was promptly resolved.
In just a few minutes, I went from feeling helpless to solving my own challenges in a field where I have zero expertise. The lines between the technical and non-technical, the amateur and expert, are blurring at an unprecedented rate.
Earlier this year Peter H. Diamandis had Emad Mostaque, Founder and CEO of Stability AI on his podcast. Emad predicted the disappearance of programmers within 5 years. While I was initially skeptical, my recent experience with ChatGPT has me reconsidering.
This broad concept isn't new to Austin Next. Topics like William Hurley 's “Rise of the Non-Creative Creative Class” and recent discussions on the “Nonscientist Researcher” are setting the stage for a future where technology democratizes expertise at a ridiculous rate.
For those who embrace these new tools, the potential for exponential growth is enormous. What was once the realm of specialists is becoming an open field.
Is it just me?
Have you had similar experiences with AI that have allowed you to venture into new areas? How do you envision the role of AI in breaking down the barriers between specialized and general knowledge? What implications does this have for education?
My head is spinning thinking about What's Next?
Austin's transformation into a global innovation powerhouse is at the heart of Austin Next. We explore insights into the region's evolution and the building of robust ecosystems. Additionally, we delve into the potential impact of emerging trends, technologies, and their convergence. Austin, as our real-world case study, helps us aspire to better comprehend the true nature of innovation.