Innovation: The rose in the desert of progress

History and Innovation

In his book "A History of the World," Andrew Marr started by clarifying that whilst this was a challenging and wide-sweeping topic and he would no doubt make some mistakes in his attempts to convey it, and in some sense it seems ludicrous to attempt to do so, it would be more ludicrous if we did not try and understand that context, where we came from, how we got here, the consequences of which we are all now living in.

He started with a light-hearted attempt to summarise that whole history with a simple quote from the wonderful poetry of Andrew Walcott:

History is boredom interrupted by war.

- “The Bounty” by Andrew Walcott

While this statement paints a stark picture of human history, we can draw an intriguing parallel to the world of innovation in industry - with a much more positive spin.

Innovation is like this in so many ways. We all live with the consequences of innovations from the past - good and bad. There are long periods of ‘normality’ or ‘stability’ in which we proceed along well trodden paths. There are sudden flashes of inspiration (often followed by vast amounts of hard work) and lightbulbs and transistors and supercomputers and AIs are created.

Just as wars punctuate the seemingly mundane flow of history, innovations disrupt the status quo in industries. However, unlike the destructive nature of war, innovation is a force for progress and improvement. It's the heartbeat of industrial evolution, pumping new ideas and technologies through the veins of commerce and society.

True, innovation can lead to the "displacement" of older products or methods, much like how conflicts can redraw boundaries. But this displacement is not a loss; it's a transformation. It's the reflection of our evolving ideas, changing demands, and our ever-improving ability to meet human needs more efficiently and effectively.

This process mirrors biological evolution. In nature, species adapt or end up making way for better-suited organisms. Similarly, in the business world, products and services evolve to better fit the environment of market demands and technological possibilities. The "survival of the fittest" in innovation isn't about destruction, but about continuous improvement and adaptation.

The Rhythm of Progress

So, how should we view innovation? Perhaps we can reframe Marr's quote: "Industry is evolution punctuated by innovation." This evolution follows a rhythmic pattern, alternating between disruptive leaps and incremental improvements. Disruptive innovations are game-changers that propel us to new heights, while periods of incremental innovation allow us to absorb, adapt, and refine these changes across various domains.

This rhythm of progress isn't a disruption to fear, but a pulse to embrace. Innovation is the lifeblood of advancement, the force that propels us forward. The disruptive phase brings about significant shifts, taking us from one stable plane to another. Following this, the incremental phase allows for the fine-tuning and widespread adoption of these new ideas.

As we navigate our rapidly changing world, let's view innovation as an opportunity for growth and improvement. By embracing both disruptive and incremental innovation, we're not just witnesses to history - we become active participants in shaping a better future. After all, in the grand narrative of human progress, each innovation, whether big or small, is a vital chapter. We all have the power to contribute to this continually unfolding story, whether through groundbreaking discoveries or through refining and adapting existing ideas to new contexts.

The innovation desert

Another quote from the same text:

Between the vision of the Tourist Board and the true Paradise lies the desert where Isaiah’s elations force a rose from the sand.

- ”The Bounty” by Alex Walcott

These few lines of sprinkled words offer a profound metaphor that resonates deeply with the current state of innovation in the AI industry. Let's unpack this:

The "vision of the Tourist Board" can be likened to the hype and grand promises often surrounding AI technology. It's the glossy, idealised version of what AI can do - the stuff of sci-fi dreams and tech evangelists' pitches.

The "True Paradise" represents the actual, transformative potential of AI - the genuine improvements and innovations that can reshape industries and improve lives.

Between these two lies "the desert" - the challenging, often unglamorous work of turning new concepts into practical, valuable applications. This is where the metaphor of "Isaiah's elations force a rose from the sand" becomes particularly poignant.

In this context, the "rose" symbolises genuine innovation - breakthroughs that offer real value and solve actual problems, changing the landscape in their wake. The "sand" represents the vast, seemingly barren landscape of possibilities, failed experiments, and incremental improvements that precede any significant breakthrough. We must travel this path. Experiments are important and many will fail and they will, if we reflect and share and discuss, reveal a path forward.

"Isaiah's elations" - or the passionate, almost prophetic belief in the potential of innovation - are what drive innovators to persist in this desert. It's the vision and determination that "force" innovation into existence, often against considerable odds. When you meet someone who is driven try and understand it and activate that same engine within yourself.

The Oasis of Innovation

Within this metaphorical desert of innovation, we can envision oases - pockets of resources, collaboration, and breakthrough moments that sustain the journey. These oases represent:

• Interdisciplinary collaboration: Where diverse fields intersect, creating fertile ground for new ideas.
• Funding and support: Resources that nourish innovative projects and help them flourish.
• Technological advancements: New tools and platforms that enable previously impossible innovations.
• Moments of insight: The "Eureka!" instances that can transform a barren landscape of ideas into a blooming garden of possibilities.

These oases are crucial for sustaining long-term innovation efforts. They provide the necessary respite, resources, and inspiration for innovators to continue their journey through the challenging terrain of technological advancement.

Navigating the Innovation Desert

This metaphor is crucial for understanding innovation in general and especially in the context of today's AI landscape because it highlights several important points:

• The gap between hype and reality: There's often a significant distance between the promised capabilities of AI and its current, practical applications.
• The necessity of perseverance: True innovation in AI requires pushing through challenges and setbacks, much like coaxing a rose to grow in the desert. It may at times seem impossible… but many things we have today once seemed impossible.
• The power of vision: Strong belief in the potential of AI (Isaiah's elations) is what drives progress, even when immediate results aren't apparent.
• The value of genuine breakthroughs: When real innovations do emerge (the rose), they stand out starkly against the background of hype and failed attempts (the sand of the desert).

It reminds us that while the hype cycle can be alluring, true progress often happens in the "desert" - through persistent effort, trial and error, and a steadfast belief in the potential of the technology.

Conclusions

For those working in AI and any field of innovation, this perspective can be both sobering and inspiring. It acknowledges the challenges while also celebrating the beauty and significance of genuine breakthroughs. It encourages us to look beyond the glossy promises and focus on the hard work of creating real value - of forcing roses from the sand of possibility.

We should not be sitting around waiting for others to innovate - we should all be innovating.