PRESCRIBED: ISSUE 3

This week we feature new AI Chatbot research from MIT, the latest consumer insights from Purpose Disruptors, sustainability initiatives at PepsiCo and a new global study from the BBC looking into the latest leadership trends.

Hello and welcome to the new edition of "PRESCRIBED" from Brand Pharmacists.

We’re back with a weekly roundup of the latest news and views on profitable solutions to the problems facing people and the planet.?

Artificial Intelligence Remedies

Artificial Intelligence isn’t new but it does seem that, in recent months, both pessimistic and optimistic views on how it will affect our future have entered the mainstream debate- when your mum asks you what ‘this Chat GPT” thing is all about, you know the conversation has moved beyond the industry geeks and LinkedIn clickbaiters. One national newspaper in the UK has even made “Attack of The Psycho Chatbot '' its front page headline, in response to some disturbing ChatGPT conversations.

At Brand Pharmacists we get a real sense that, for better or worse, 2023 will be a significant year in the history of AI…which will probably be written by a bot anyway.?

As ever, when technologies have the potential to transform society, media coverage lurches from utopian predictions, to dystopian fear mongering. Thankfully there are still some writers out there making thoughtful contributions to the discourse around advancing AI technology.?

John Naughton is professor of the public understanding of technology at the Open University. He writes in The Guardian that many of the misplaced fears around “Evil Chat GPT” arise from an unhelpful tendency to humanise AI chatbot tools, which will probably just evolve to become useful augmentations of human capability. Though Professor Naughton does caution that the energy required to power any future mass adoption of AI tools, and the scope for corporations and bad actors to manipulate them, are two areas worthy of more collective consideration.?

The Conversation is another publication giving voice to accessible academic thinking on the topic. In a new article, Professor J.R. Schoenherr argues that many of the debates around AI ethics aren't new at all. In fact programs like ChatGPT and DALL-E merely facilitate and amplify human traits, which can include negative behaviours such as plagiarism, prejudice and misinformation. In his words, “The solutions to [the problems with] AI are hardly simple, but they can be stated simply: the fault is not in our AI, but in ourselves. To paraphrase Nietzsche, if you stare into the AI abyss, it will stare back at you.”

Over at MIT, in a working paper too new for peer review, Whitney Zhang and Shakked Noy and have reported back on their latest AI workplace study.

It suggests using AI tools for writing tasks makes participants better and faster in completing their assigned projects, whilst also increasing job satisfaction. They also found evidence that ChatGPT is an equaliser, benefiting the worst performers more, reducing inequality but raising some potentially interesting questions around future investment by companies into skills training.

Of course, whilst new research is advancing our thinking around the societal effects of AI, armchair pundits, venture capitalists and other “get rich quick” merchants are still amping up the hype, which is fuelling a new gold rush. OpenAI’s competitors all want a piece of the action too, The Verge has just published a helpful article, summarising the latest attempts to keep up with the Chatbots from the likes of Meta, Baidu and Snapchat.?

Meanwhile, Metaverse and NFT investments seem to have lost their lustre, confirming that many tech industry backers are institutional magpies, seeking the latest shiny things for their nests.?

Antidotes for Workplace Toxicity

The jousting between advocates for remote and office based working shows little sign of abating, despite the moderating influence of “hybrid tw&ts”- (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday office attendees).

But there’s increasing evidence that the focus on workplace cohesion should shift, from where the work takes place, towards creating a sense of shared identity among employees, wherever they maybe.

This may feel like dangerous territory, particularly for those big tech companies which encouraged familial commitment from employees, then reciprocated with the loyalty of a serial adulterer as soon as their revenues declined to a few less million dollars.?

Nonetheless, psychologists Dominic Packer and Jay Van Bavel, the authors of The Power of Us have found evidence that toxic bosses drive a higher rate of talent attrition than low compensation, and that replacing them with detoxified, more group-oriented leaders, can create a common vision, a sense of camaraderie and indeed improve commercial performance. This all aligns with the findings of workplace expert Bruce Daisley, which suggest that building an understanding of the realities team members' face in their daily lives is the surest way for leaders to build jobs that reward, inspire and to give teams the psychological safety they need to perform.?

Now BBC Studios and BBC News have released a report called the New Exec Mindset. Based on AI trend analysis, interviews with C-suites executives and a survey of 800 business decision Makers from 10 countries, the study found an accelerating shift in leadership language from “I” to “We”, a greater global focus on employee mental health and that more C-Suite time is being dedicated to issues relating to sustainability.

Amongst five macro-trends identified were the “Zelensky Effect '', leaders who remain optimistic despite the state of the world and a trend towards “Shoshin thinking”. This is a zen mantra stating, “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few.” In other words, many leaders believe that the pace of change- in technology, the environment and global politics- is such that the value of their expertise, built over years of experience, will rapidly decline unless they constantly relearn their approaches to the challenges of leadership. You can download the full report here.

Planetary Health and Wellbeing

Did you know that NASA monitors the vital signs of Earth's health and displays them online? They provide a sobering reminder of the work required to improve the health of our planet.

"The rivers are really the arteries that carry trash from land to sea," according to Ocean Cleanup founder Boyan Slat in a new interview with BBC News. He outlines the group’s plans for new technology, to accelerate their efforts to clear plastic from the oceans and an expansion of plans for clearing plastics from rivers.

Research carried out by The Ocean Cleanup in 2021 suggested about 1,000 of the world's rivers are the source of 80% of the river-borne plastic that contributes to global ocean plastic pollution.?

Of course the best way to reduce plastic pollution is to avoid plastic being wasted in the first place. So it’s great to see that affordable eco-detergent pioneers smol have launched a new washing up liquid. It’s effective, plant-based, biodegradable and empty bottles can be returned for refill using the free postage label provided.?

Whilst Greenpeace has previously named PepsiCo as one of the world’s biggest contributors to global plastic waste, it's now launched a global sustainability programme called Pep+, that CEO Ramon Laguarta has described as "the future of the company" and a fundamental transformation in its approach.

In an interview with ZDNet, Athina Kanioura, chief strategy and transformation officer at PepsiCo says technology will play a key role in helping the company make this change and that the organisation is looking at sustainability through several lenses- one of which focusses on the shift from plastic packaging towards greater use of recycled aluminium and biodegradable materials.

Bold changes from big businesses are essential to improving the climate outlook, so we hope we'll see the company's future actions match up to its stated commitments.

A New Prescription For The Advertising Industry

The Brand Pharmacists team recently had the pleasure of attending a debrief for the latest wave of Good Life 2030 research

Led by Purpose Disruptors , in collaboration with the Insight Climate Collective, Race to Zero, Stories for Life and over 100 industry professionals, Good Life 2030 is a campaign for the advertising industry to create compelling visions of the future in 2030, in an effort to collectively influence climate positive changes in consumer behaviour.?

The first wave of research identified a critical “conflicted middle” consisting of three concerned segments, comprising 42% of the UK population, who aren’t currently connecting to mainstream climate and sustainability narratives, revealing an important job for communicators.

Now Ally Kingston, Jo Royce, Aimee Brewerton, Ceri Jones and Lisa Merrick-Lawless have produced a fascinating new report. Based on updated 2023 data, it provides fresh insights, highlighting how attitudes have shifted during the transition from global pandemic to cost of living crisis.

In summary, basic citizen yearnings for a future good life remain true, but have developed new facets.

Thankfully the researchers also provide practical, tangible recommendations for ethical marketers, manufacturers and communicators wishing to affect change.

You can read the full findings here for free!

Tempting Snacks By The Checkouts

?? Global CO2 would have been three times higher in 2022 if it wasn’t for the progress being made with clean energy.

?? British glass manufacturer Pilkington UK has just launched a new “infrared radiator”, which it claims can offer a lower-emission alternative to traditional gas central heating radiators, without the need for significant installation work.?

??The Earth may have greater reserves of carbon-free, natural hydrogen than previously thought.

Pay Here

The death toll from the earthquake in Turkey and Syria continues to rise. Many homes and buildings were destroyed and people still need urgent aid.?Some of our own network were impacted by this tragedy so, if you can help, we'd be incredibly grateful for your donations to the Disasters Emergency Committee fundraising appeal.?

Way Out

Thanks for reading and have a great week.?

We hope you’ve found something of interest and look forward to seeing you again soon.

With lots of love,?

The Brand Pharmacists x

#sustainability #sustainablebrands #marketing #advertising

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